Found! A Marriage Record for Robert Laws and Elizabeth Thompson

Robert and Elizabeth (Thompson) Laws are my third great-grandparents.  I've had their names and marriage date for a dozen or so years but my source was undocumented family records, passed by word of mouth, then written and copied, then passed on again and again.  That source for records in my Doyle line has been inaccurate many times.  I knew the record was available at a FamilySearch Center (on Film 1068674 Item 6 or 4629104 which may be the same) but I never made my way to the one near my home.  This record comes from FindMyPast's Northumberland Marriages collection which, I believe, was transcribed from the records held by FamilySearch.


This is a transcription of the record.

[At top of page, not visible in photo]

Marriages solemnized in the Parish of Tynemouth in the County of Northumberland in the Year 1834
page 67.

[Transcription of image]

Robert Laws of this Parish
Bachelor
and Elizabeth Thompson of this Parish
Spinster
were married in this Church by Banns
this Twenty-first day of
June in the Year One Thousand eight hundred and thirty four
By me Christⁿ Reed, Vicar
This Marriage was solemnized between us  { Robert Laws   his X mark
                                                                      { Elizabeth Thompson   her x mark
In the Presence of  { Thomas Oxley 
                               { James Pye
No. 200.

Notes and Comments

• My line from this couple:  Robert & Elizabeth -->  Elizabeth Jane Laws Doyle -->  William Doyle -->  Gust Doyle --> Lee Doyle --> me
  
• June 21, 1834, was a Saturday.  That surprises me, though it probably shouldn't.  Robert was a miner, likely having only Sundays off work so it makes sense that they would arrange to marry the day before.
• Robert was 24 when they married.  Elizabeth was 17.  It's surprising that a 17-year-old was described as "spinster."
  
• Civil marriage records in England began in 1837.  Had they waited till then to marry, that record would have stated Robert's occupation.
• This marriage record is available for viewing with a subscription at FindMyPast.  I'm grateful for the image but I do wish I could get to the first pages of the marriage registry to see for myself that it comes from Christ Church. 
• I was curious about Christ Church in Tynemouth and found this short video giving a history of the building.  I love seeing the places where events in the lives of my ancestors happened.  (And listening to British accents.)
  

I'm grateful for online images and the indexing that makes them easier to find.

—Nancy.

Copyright © 2023 Nancy Messier.  All Rights Reserved. 
Do not copy or use any content from this blog without written permission from the owner. 
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Robert Laws's 1881 Death Certificate

Robert Laws is my third great-grandfather.  He died in 1881, five years before his wife Elizabeth (Thompson) Laws.  Family information and this death certificate state that he was a coal miner but I have no way of knowing whether he was still working as a miner in 1881 when he was 71.  I hope he wasn't!

My line from Robert is this:  Robert Laws -->  Elizabeth Jane Laws Doyle -->  William Doyle -->  Gust Doyle -->  Lee Doyle -->  me.

This record comes from the U.K. GRO (General Register Office) in Southport, Merseyside.  I found it it their collection of death certificates, Year 1881, Quarter June, District Morpeth, Volume 10B, Page 200, and purchased it as a PDF copy.

This is a transcription of Robert's death certificate.

Superintendent Registrar’s District   Morpeth
Registrar’s Sub-District   Bedlington.
1881.    DEATHS in the Sub-District of Bedlington  in the County of Northumberland
No.   131
Columns
1.  When and Where Died.   Twenty-seventh June.  1881  Cambois, Bedlington
     N.S.D.
2.  Name and Surname.   Robert Laws
3.  Sex.   Male
4.  Age.   71 years
5.  Rank or Profession.   Coalminer
6.  Cause of Death.   Died suddenly from Natural Causes   (No Inquest held)
7.  Signature, Description, and Residence of Informant.   John Laws.  Son.
     Cambois, Bedlington
8.  When Registered.   Twenty-eight June 1881
9.  Signature of Registrar.  Geo. S. Waterson, Registrar

Comment
I always wish British death certificates gave more information:  birth date, parents' names, time of death, etc.  Maybe their modern ones do....  Still, I'm grateful to know Robert's date and place of death, his occupation, and where he lived.  Sometimes we find little or no information at all.

—Nancy.

Copyright © 2023 Nancy Messier.  All Rights Reserved. 
Do not copy or use any content from this blog without written permission from the owner. 

Elizabeth (Thompson) Laws's 1886 Death Certificate

Elizabeth (Thompson) Laws is my third great-grandmother and wife of Robert Laws.  My father's half-sister, Tressa (Doyle) Wilson told me her name but had little other information. 

My line from Elizabeth is this:  Elizabeth Thompson Laws -->  Elizabeth Jane Laws Doyle -->  William Doyle -->  Gust Doyle -->  Lee Doyle -->  me.

This record comes from the U.K. GRO (General Register Office) in Southport, Merseyside.  I found it it their collection of death certificates, Year 1886, Quarter March, District Morpeth, Volume 10B, Page 218, and purchased it as a PDF copy.

This is a transcription of the record.

Superintendent Registrar’s District   Morpeth
Registrar’s Sub-District   Bedlington.
1886.    DEATHS in the Sub-District of Bedlington  in the County of Northumberland
No.   56
Columns
1.  When and Where Died.   Eighth March 1886.  Cambois, Bedlington, N. S. D.
2.  Name and Surname.   Elizabeth Laws
3.  Sex.   Female
4.  Age.   69 years
5.  Rank or Profession.   Widow of Robert Laws, a Coal miner
6.  Cause of Death.   Hemiplegia 3 months.  3 [causes of death?]  Old age. 
     Hematemesis.  Certified by R. Laing, M. R. C. E.
7.  Signature, Description, and Residence of Informant.   John Laws.  Son. 
     Present at the death.  Cambois, Bedlington
8.  When Registered.   Eighth March 1886
9.  Signature of Registrar.  G. S. Waterson, Registrar

Notes.

• I have been unable to determine the meaning of M.R.C.E after the doctor's name.
• Hemiplegia is paralysis of one side of the body.  Stroke is one cause of hemiplegia
• Hematemesis is vomiting of blood.  Likely causes are a stomach ulcer or severe gastritis (severe inflammation of the stomach lining).
• Elizabeth's son Robert was very prompt in registering her death!
  

—Nancy.

Copyright © 2023 Nancy Messier.  All Rights Reserved. 
Do not copy or use any content from this blog without written permission from the owner. 
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Elizabeth Laws, Place Names, and Accents/Dialects

Elizabeth Laws is a paternal great-great-grandmother.  Family records/lore/legend tell me she was born in Youssen Square, England, on October 28, 1845.  In the 15 years I've been searching for ancestors I've never been able to find a place called Youssen Square.  And here, now, from her U.K. birth certificate, I see that she was born in Earsdon Square, Earsdon, Northumberland, with no mention of Youssen.  Hmmmm. 

This is a transcription of her birth certificate from UK GRO Year 1845, Quarter Dec, District Tynemouth Union, Vol 25, Page 399.

Superintendent Registrar's District   Tynemouth Union
Registrar's District   Earsdon
1845. BIRTHS in the District of  Earsdon in the County of Northumberland
No.  261
When Born.  Twenty Eighth of September 1845 Earsdon Square Earsdon
Name, if any.  Elizabeth
Sex.  Girl
Name and Surname of Father.   Robert Laws
Name and Maiden Surname of Mother.   Elizabeth Laws formerly Thompson
Rank or Profession of Father.  Collier
Signature, Description, and Residence of Informant.   The Mark of Elizabeth X Laws Mother  Earsdon Square
When Registered.  Fourteenth of October, 1845
Signature of Registrar.  Stephen Aynsley Registrar

Clearly, if this official record is to be believed, Elizabeth Laws's date of birth was 28 September, 1845, and her place of birth was Earsdon Square, Earsdon, Northumberland.

I'm really curious to know how "Earsdon" in Northumberland, England, became "Youssen" in Pennsylvania.  What accent in British English translated one to the other in American English?  I wondered what I don't know about pronunciation of English place names, specifically in the county of Northumberland.  So I started searching. 

Probably the best video I found with pronunciations of towns in Northumberland was the one at ChronicleLive.  Since I was unable to publish the video here, you'll need to click the link to watch and listen to this 2-minute video.  Sadly, Earsdon is not mentioned and I've come away with no understanding as to why or how Earsdon became Youssen among my Doyle ancestors. 

Despite not understanding how the names changed, I'm thrilled to have a birth certificate that states the date and location of my grandmother Elizabeth Laws's birth.

-–Nancy.

Copyright © 2022 Nancy Messier.  All Rights Reserved. 
Do not copy or use any content from this blog without written permission from the owner. 
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The Conundrum of William Doyle and His Parents, Andrew and Elizabeth (Laws) Doyle

William Doyle in 1885

With a marriage date wavering between November 11, 1861 (according to family records) and November 14, 1863 (according to the UK GRO), I'm left wondering about the true date of the marriage of my great-great-grandparents, Andrew and Elizabeth (Laws) Doyle.  I'm also left wondering about the status of my great-grandfather, William Doyle, due to the absence of any government or church record of his birth which would connect him to Andrew and Elizabeth.

The births of William's three siblings, born in England after him and before the family's move to the United States, were all registered with General Register Office.  (These records are on order from UK GRO.)  Elizabeth Jane was born 1864 in Morpeth, Northumberland; Robert was born 1866 in Alnwick Union, Northumberland; and Martha was born 1868 in Morpeth, Northumberland.  So far I've been unable to find records of baptisms for any of the children.

I thought a timeline for William's parents as adults might help put things into perspective and clarify possibilities (or not).

1836 Apr 13  Andrew born in Wallsend, Northumberland, England (family info).  (Christening transcription gives date of birth as 28 April 1836, location as Medomsley, Durham.)

1857 Sep  5  Married Jane Barron, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, North'd (church and civil records)

1860  Oct 14  Jane (Barron) Doyle died, Guide Post, Bedlington, North'd (UK GRO)

1861 Nov 11  Married Elizabeth Laws, married at Woodburn, England (family records)
--OR--
1863 Nov 14  Married Elizabeth Laws, Woodhorn Church, Woodhorn, North'd (UK GRO)

1863 Mar  3  Son William born, Bedlinton, England (family records)

1864 Dec 30  Daughter Elizabeth Jane born, Bedlinton, England (family records)

1866 Sep 24  Son Robert born, Ratliff, England (family records)

1868 Apr 26  Daughter Martha born, Cambois, England (family records)

1869 Apr 12  Andrew arrived in the United States

1870 Oct 13  Elizabeth and four children arrived in the United States

Several questions come to mind.

1. When were Andrew and Elizabeth married?  In 1861 or 1863?  If in 1861, having their first child nearly two years later seems unusual for the 1860s.  On the 1900 U.S. Census Elizabeth indicated that she was the mother of 14 children, 11 of whom were living at the time, and all have been identified and accounted for.  So it seems unlikely, if they were married in 1861, that she would have had other children before William.  On the other hand, if Andrew and Elizabeth married in November, 1863, and William was born in March in 1863, he would have been born 8 months before they were married.  I know it sometimes happened that couples conceived before marriage but from my observations, they didn't usually wait 8 months to marry.
2. Why was William's birth not registered when the other three children's were?
   
3. When was William born?   And where?  If in Bedlington in 1863 as family records say, why didn't they register his birth?  With this family I've learned that family records lean toward impressions, legends, or myths.
4. Could William be the son of Andrew and Jane (Barron) Doyle, Andrew's first wife?  I found no evidence of this when I searched GRO records.   I did find a William Doyle born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1861 but his mother's maiden name was Quin.  Not likely he is my William but because of this record I checked to see if Andrew had been married to Miss Quin between the death of his first wife, Jane, and his marriage to Elizabeth.  I found no records suggesting this might be the case. 
   
5. Could William have been adopted?

Not finding civil or church information for William's birth a few years ago caused me to temporarily halt  research on this family.  But this is like an elephant in the room:  it must be acknowledged and dealt with.  There is a break in the family line without a connection between William and his parents, Andrew and Elizabeth. 

Are there times when a family historian must accept that the only evidence may be (imperfect) family records?  If so, I'm at that point—at least until other evidence becomes available. 

-–Nancy.

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Do not copy or use any content from this blog without written permission from the owner. 
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Immigrants on the S. S. Wisconsin in 1870

I always find it interesting and fun learning more about immigrant ancestors' travel experiences, including learning about and seeing photos of the ships that brought them to America. 

This is the S. S. Wisconsin, a ship built in England in 1870.  It is the ship on which my g-great-grandmother, Elizabeth (Laws) Doyle and four of her children, including my great-grandfather, William Doyle, travelled from Liverpool to New York City in October, 1870.  William was the oldest, at 8 years; the other children were ages 2, 4, and 6 years. 

Information about this ship comes from Tyne Built Ships and the article below comes from the March 21, 1870, issue of Shields Daily Gazette. 

"LAUNCHES ON THE TYNE.—On Saturday, there
was launched from the shipbuilding yard of Messrs
Palmer and Co., at Jarrow, an iron screw-steamer,
287 feet in length.  The steamer, which is named
the Wisconsin, is built for the Guion line of
steamers between Liverpool and New York, and
measures 380 feet over all; 365 feet between per-
perpendiculars; 43 feet wide; 28 feet deep; with a
7 feet 6 inches spar deck.  She has saloons and
berths to accommodate about 100 first-class pas-
sengers, and on the main deck there is room for
about 1,500 emigrants, while a lower deck
is set apart for cargo.  The Wisconsin is built on the
flush-plate plan, which was first introduced in the
building of the Nevada and Idaho last year by
Messrs C. M. Palmer and Co., for the same
owners.  The engines, which are ready to be fit-
ted into the vessel, are compound engines, of 600
horse-power nominal, with a cylinder of 120 inches
in diameter and a smaller one."

This ship was obviously very large.  What must the children have thought when they first saw it towering over them, and when they first stepped onto the ship, probably tipping slightly side to side!?  What an adventure for those little ones.  And what a challenge for Elizabeth to travel as the only adult with four young children.  I think she must have been strong-willed, determined, and courageous.

I had questions about some of the information above and other details at the Tyne Built Ships website.  For example, 

• The ship was launched on March 19, 1870, but it wasn't completed until June, 1870.  I assumed that a ship was launched after it was completed.  Not so.  The launch is when a ship is first transferred to water.  After the launch there is some work yet to be is finished on the inside of the ship.
• The Wisconsin's physical measurements were 366' long by 43.2' wide by 26.6' deep.  So, longer than a football field; a little wider than a narrow city lot for a home or about one quarter the width of a football field; and about as deep as a 3-story building is high.  The children would probably have been acquainted with places and buildings of that size but perhaps not in the context of a ship.
  
• The GRT was 3220.  GRT, or gross register tonnage, is the internal volume of a ship.  One register ton equals a volume of 100 cubic feet.  If that volume were filled with fresh water, it would weigh about 2.83 tons. Which means that the internal volume of the S. S. Wisconsin was over 9100 tons!
  
• The NRT was 2060.  NRT, or net register tonnage, is a ship's cargo volume capacity, equal to nearly 6,000 tons.
  

Elizabeth and her children travelled in steerage class.  I didn't count the number of passengers on the voyage with her but there could have been up to 1595 other passengers.  What a mass of people in the space of half a football field. 

Considering that the S. S. Wisconsin was launched in March, 1870, was completed in June, 1870, Elizabeth and her children travelled in October, and that a voyage from Liverpool to New York City took 3 weeks (according to information with Elizabeth's passenger list at FamilySearch), the ship couldn't have taken too many round trips from Liverpool to New York City and back by the time Elizabeth and her family travelled on it.  It was a new ship, but it might also have been an unseasoned ship.

You can see Elizabeth's and her children's names on the passenger list here (with a free FamilySearch account).  Below is a section of the page with her and her children listed.  The headings on the columns are Number / Name / Age (years, months) / Sex / Occupation / Country to which they belong / Country to which they intend to become inhabitants / Died on the voyage / Part of the vessel occupied during the voyage

This is how Elizabeth and her family were recorded.
   38  Elizabeth Doyle, 28 years, female, wife, England, United States, [blank], Steerage
   39  Robert Doyle, 4 years, male, child, England, United States, [blank], Steerage
   40  William Doyle, 8 years, male, child, England, United States, [blank], Steerage
   41  Elizabeth, 6 years, female, child, England, United States, [blank], Steerage
   42  Martha Doyle, 2 years, female, child, England, United States, [blank] Steerage

I can't help but wonder what the weather was like on the voyage, whether friends travelled with them, whether Elizabeth or her children were seasick, and so much more.

You can learn more about the S.S. Wisconsin, as well as other ships, at Norway Heritage.

Do you, too, love learning about the ships on which your ancestors travelled?

-–Nancy.

Copyright © 2021-2025 Nancy Messier.  All Rights Reserved. 
Do not copy or use any content from this blog without written permission from the owner. 
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A Poor Copy But It Gets the Job Done: Marriage Certificate of Andrew Doyle and Elizabeth Laws

Below is the 1863 U.K. GRO (General Register Office) marriage certificate for my great-great-grandparents, Andrew Doyle and Elizabeth Laws.  This looks like a scan of a poor photocopy.  The background is dotted with spots.  The type is light and hard to read.  But it's legible.  And it's a certified copy.  As a certified copy it gets the job done for family history research.  (And I have no complaints about the GRO.  They've done very well by me.)

Here is a transcription of the record.  Even though the date looks like 1862 I will trust that it's 1863 because that's what the GRO tells me.

1863. Marriage solemnized at Woodhorn Church in the Parish of Woodhorn in the County of Northumberland
No.  177
When Married.  Novr 14
Name and Surname.   Andrew Doyle, Elizabeth Laws
Age.   full age   full age
Condition.   Widower   Spinster
Rank or Profession.  Miner    ----
Resident at the time of Marriage.  North Seaton   North Seaton
Father's Name and Surname.  William Doyle   Robert Laws
Rank or Profession of Father.   Miner   Miner
Married in the Parish Church according to the Rites and Ceremonies of the Established Church by me, after Banns,  [Illegible first name] T. H. Ashhurst, Curate
This Marriage was solemnized between us  Andrew Doyle    Elizabeth Laws
in the Presence of us,  John Mitcheson   Martha Doyle

This certificate is in the collection Year 1863, Quarter D, Volume 10B, Page 463.

FreeReg.uk.org tells me Andrew and Elizabeth were married in St. Mary the Virgin Church in North Seaton.  I've yet to find an image of the church marriage record.

This is the full page of the record as it appeared when it arrived in my mailbox. 

And just for fun, this is a photo of the watermark on the certificate.  I love those crowns.

-–Nancy.

Copyright © 2021 Nancy Messier.  All Rights Reserved. 
Do not copy or use any content from this blog without written permission from the owner. 
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The Places They Lived: Robert and Elizabeth (Thompson) Laws & Their Family, from 1810 to 1881

As I was editing my source titles in RootsMagic I noticed, again, how often Robert and Elizabeth (Thompson) Laws, my great-great-great-grandparents, moved.  If the 1851 and 1861 U.K. Censuses can be trusted for accuracy of the birth locations of the children, it looks like it was every few years.  (There are a few variations in other census records.)

The years and the places they lived

• 1810   Jarrow, Durham - Robert born
• 1817   Bykerhill, Northumberland - Elizabeth born
• 1834   Tynemouth, Northumberland - Robert & Elizabeth married
• 1835   Earsdon, Northumerland - Robert, Jr., born
• 1836   Earsdon, Northumberland - Thomas born
• 1838   Earsdon, Northumberland - Margaret born
• 1840   Earsdon, Northumberland - Margaret born
• 1841   Seymour Street, Wingate Grange, Kelloe, Easington, Durham
• 1842   Wingate, Northumberland - George born
• 1844   Seaton Delaval, Northumberland - Jane born
• 1845   Earsdon, Northumberland - Elizabeth Jane born
• 1847   Cramlington, Northumberland - Isabella born
• 1849   Cramlington, Northumberland - William born
• 1851   Cramlington, Northumberland - Anthony born
• 1851   Barrington Main Cotts, West Sleekburn, Morpeth, Northumberland
• 1854   Felling Down, Durham - Matthew born
• 1858   Bebside, Northumberland, son John born
• 1861   North Seaton, Morpeth, Northumberland
• 1871   7 Watergate Street, Cambois, Bedlingtonshire, Northumberland
• 1881   9 Watergate Street, Bedlington, Bedlingtonshire, Morpeth, Northumberland
  

As a married couple, Robert and Elizabeth lived in nine places, the longest of which was Earsdon, for about six or seven years.  (Robert was a coal miner and I read once that miners in the 1800s moved often, though I'm not sure why.)  It's true these ancestors likely didn't have the possessions we have now but I can't imagine that a move with so many children would be easy, no matter the number of possessions.  In searching for the locations where they lived, I learned that some of them no longer exist.  Just gone.  Others have become parts of nearby towns and cities with only remnants of the original towns remaining.  Others are still there, but not as they were two centuries ago.

I'm always interested to learn how couples met before modern transportation.  I've never been able to find out for any of my ancestors except my parents.  I was particularly interested to know the distance between Byker Hill, where Elizabeth was born, and Tynemouth, where she and Robert were married. 

To the right is a sort of railroad route from an 1899 book, Comprising Northern Counties, which gives distances in miles, probably via train route rather than walking or riding on a horse.  It appears to be about 8¾ miles from Byker Hill to Tynemouth.  That's practically no distance at all these days, but in the early 1800s...?  How long would it have taken to go from one place to the other?  And then, consider moving from one home to the other.  Perhaps one of these days I'll locate a map (I haven't found one yet from the mid-1800s with most of these places on it) and plot the locations and distances.

A few years ago I thought it would be interesting to make a list of all the places in Northumberland where my ancestors had lived, just in case I ever get a chance to go to England to visit.  I can see I already have a healthy list, and that's only one family.

Do you do this kind of thing for your ancestors who lived in a general geographic area for many years?  If so, have you made any interesting discoveries?  I find it hugely interesting.

–Nancy.

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Do not copy or use any content from this blog without written permission from the owner. 
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Speedy Service from the U.K. GRO

Late Sunday evening, January 5, I ordered death records for Robert Laws and Elizabeth (Thompson) Laws from the U.K. Government Records Office (GRO).  I understood that they would arrive within about two weeks.

I was pleasantly surprised to receive an email on Tuesday morning, the 7th, telling me that my records were ready.  And, there they were ready for download at the GRO website.

GRO has expanded their search resources and offers the purchase of pdf certificates for £7.00/$9.12 (currently).  I've ordered a few and have been pleased with the quality of the scans.

To use the GRO create an account with email and password and then choose from these offerings:

• Place an Order
• View a recent order
• Search the GRO Indexes
• Find out about researching my family history
• Find out about GRO services
• Contact GRO

The indexes are a little challenging to maneuver through but definitely worth the effort.  GRO is one of my favorite places to buy records.

Robert's and Elizabeth's certificates did not give me all the information I hoped they would but in conjunction with other records they will be helpful.  I have some work to do on the Laws family. 

–Nancy.

Copyright ©2020, Nancy Messier.  All Rights Reserved. 
Do not copy or use any content from this blog without written permission from the owner. 
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Beginning Again / Picking Up Where I Left Off

We have so many fresh starts in life.  A new love, a new marriage, a new baby, a new home, the purchase of property.  A move to a new country, learning a new language.  I do wonder why January 1 has become the time when we nearly always think of fresh starts, consider resolutions, and try to make changes for the better.  Why are our expectations of change so high for the beginning of the new year?  Why not the first day of spring when the world is just coming alive again (at least in the northern hemisphere)?  Or why not June 1?  Or why not every new day?  Why wait?   

As for me, I'm not a proponent of  New Year's resolutions.  In my younger years I think I gave them a try but they always went by the wayside within a week or two.  These days I stick with a to-do list, which isn't always successful, either.  Sometimes an item on my list may be pushed ahead for a few days or a week until I eventually get tired of seeing it unfinished and actually do it.

But, I made a beginning yesterday afternoon (or, really, I picked up where I left off) by searching FamilySearch and the GRO website for Robert Laws and Elizabeth (Thompson) Laws, my third great-grandparents.  I ordered death certificates for both. 

I'm hoping these certificates will have more information than just dates and locations of death.  Ideally, they will give birth locations and parents' names.  I can only hope.

I have certificates I received last year that I still need to add to my genealogy program.

I hope I can keep up this early burst of family history energy.

Happy New Year to you!

This post was written for Amy Johnson Crow's 2020 version of 52 Ancestors.  The post topic was "Fresh Start."

–-Nancy.

Copyright ©2020, Nancy Messier.  All Rights Reserved. 
Do not copy or use any content from this blog without written permission from the owner. 
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The Two Wives of Andrew Doyle

I've finally collected enough information to be certain that a family "legend" is true.  Undocumented family records indicated that my great-great-grandfather Andrew Doyle was a widow at the time he married my great-great-grandmother Elizabeth Laws.  Now I know it's true.

Andrew's first wife was Jane Barron.  He was 21, she was about 20 when they married.

Below is a transcription of the above marriage record which came from U.K. GRO, Year 1857, Quarter S, Volume 10B, Page 134.

Year 1857.
Marriage solemnized at the Parish Church in the Parish of St. Nicholas in the County of Northumberland
No.  136
When Married.   September 5
Names and Surnames.   Andrew Doyle   Jane Barron
Age.  full
Condition.   Bachelor   Spinster
Rank or Profession.   [miner?]
Residence at the time of Marriage.   Neville [?]
Father's Name and Surname.   William Doyle   William Barron
Rank or Profession of Father.   Miner    Miner
Married in the Parish Church according to the Rites and Ceremonies of the Established Church, after Banns by me, [?] Mosely.
This Marriage was solemnized between us, Andrew Doyle  Jane Barron her x mark in the presence of us, Edward Barron  J. C. [illegible name]

Jane (Barron) Doyle died on October 14, 1860.  Andrew waited just over three years before marrying again.

Andrew's second wife was Elizabeth Laws.  They married on November 14, 1863.  He was 26, she was 18.  Family legend claims that her parents were strongly opposed to the marriage because he was so much older and a widow.  Do you suppose Elizabeth was strong-willed?  Or did her parents finally relent? 

The image above, with transcription below, is from U.K. GRO Marriage Record, Year 1863, Quarter D, Volume 10B, Page 463.  FreeReg's transcription of parish records indicate that the marriage took place in St. Mary the Virgin Church.

Year. 1863
Marriage solemnized at Woodhorn Church in the Parish of Woodhorn in the County of Northumberland
No.  177
When Married.   Nov 14
Name and Surname.   Andrew Doyle   Elizabeth Laws
Age.   full age   full age
Condition.   Widower   Spinster
Rank or Profession.   Miner   ------ 
Residence at the time of Marriage.  North Seaton   North Seaton
Father's Name and Surname.   William Doyle   Robert Laws
Rank or Profession of Father.   Miner   Miner
Married in the Parish Church according to the Rites and Ceremonies of the Established Church, by me, after Banns by me, Rev. T. H. Ashhurst [additional unknown word]
This Marriage was solemnized between us, Andrew Doyle   Elizabeth Laws in the Presence of us, John Mitcheson   Martha Doyle

As far as I've been able to determine William and Jane did not have children.  William and Elizabeth, however, had 14 children, four of which were born in England and the others in Pennsylvania.

--Nancy.

Copyright ©2018, Nancy Messier.  All Rights Reserved. 
Do not copy or use any content from this blog without written permission from the owner. 
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Singing the Praises of the U.K.'s Government Register Office

Yes, yes, yes!   A scanned image of the original marriage record for my third great-grandmother arrived today!  While it took some time, I'm thrilled to have it and thrilled that the employees of the U.K.'s Government Register Office (GRO) are so accommodating.  Singing their praises, for sure!

To explain why I'm so pleased and excited about this record (in addition to the fact that it's for one of my ancestors), here is a review and timeline of the process for obtaining it.  You need to know that the GRO makes digital scans of birth and death records available online (with purchase) but they send marriage records through the regular post.

April 19.  I placed an order for two marriage records, one for Martha Reay Doyle and Thomas Richardson, one for Andrew Doyle and Elizabeth Laws. 

May 9.  The certificate for Andrew and Elizabeth arrived.  Martha and Thomas's record was not with it.  After a week I was still waiting its arrival.

May 17.  I used the GRO's contact form to tell them that Martha and Thomas's record had not yet arrived and to ask about it.

May 23.  A GRO representative responded that the certificate had been mailed on April 26 and asked that I check with my local post office to see if the envelope could be found.

June 4.  I responded that the post office had no knowledge of the envelope and asked if they could resend the marriage record.

June 11.  I received an email stating that the GRO was investigating my inquiry and that I would "receive a response in due course."

June 14.  The marriage record arrived.  Sadly, it was a typewritten transcription instead of a scan of the original record as others had been.  I was disappointed but guessed that would be the best I would get.  But it kept bothering me that one of the surnames on the transcription was different than I thought it should be.  A few days later it finally occurred to me that I could at least ask the GRO if it would be possible to get a scan of the original.

June 20.  Once again I contacted the GRO, explained my dilemma, and asked if I could have a scan of the original record.

June 26.  The GRO responded saying, "We are currently investigating your enquiry and you will receive a response in due course."

June 27 (Today!).  My response came when Martha and Thomas's marriage record arrived in the mail, as shown above.  It is a printed image of a digital scan.  And I can read it clearly!

The power of persistence pays off, but only because the employees at the U.K.'s GRO are helpful, generous people.  I am singing their praises.  Wonderful people!

--Nancy.

Copyright ©2018, Nancy Messier.  All Rights Reserved. 
Do not copy or use any content from this blog without written permission from the owner. 
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From Anticipation to Disappointment

I have been eagerly anticipating the arrival of marriage records from the U.K. GRO office.  They send PDFs of birth and death records but marriage records are sent as paper copies through the regular postal service.

On April 19, 2018, I ordered and paid for the marriage records of
          >  Elizabeth Laws and Andrew Doyle, and
          >  Martha (Reay) Doyle and Thomas Richardson

Notice that in England they record the date as dd/mm/yyyy.

These two records were mailed from England on April 25, 2018.  On May 9, 2018, I received an envelope containing the marriage record of Elizabeth and Andrew.  Since both records were ordered at the same time I anticipated that both would have been mailed in the same envelope, but they weren't.  I'm still waiting for Martha and Thomas's marriage record.  The record I received arrived in two weeks.

I contacted the GRO office at the beginning of this week.  Yesterday I received a response via email with instructions to check with my local mail provider to see if they have the envelope.  If not, the GRO will send another certificate.  Of course, my USPS provider knows nothing about this lost envelope.

On May 3, 2018, I ordered and paid for the marriage record of
          >  Jane Barron and Andrew Doyle



The U.K. GRO website indicates that this record was mailed on May 9, 2018.  It's already been three weeks and it has not yet arrived.  (The other marriage record arrived in 14 days.)

After all this trouble and disappointment I hope, when the records finally arrive, that they tell me what I imagine they do and that I won't be disappointed a second time.

How I wish the U.K. GRO sent PDFs of marriage records, too.

--Nancy.

Copyright ©2018, Nancy Messier.  All Rights Reserved. 
Do not copy or use any content from this blog without written permission of the owner. 
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Byker-Hill, Northumberland

The place names in England -- names like Byker-Hill, Walls End/Wallsend, Ponteland, Spittal -- are interesting and curious to me.  They were the locations where my ancestors were born, baptized, married, lived, or died.  I can't help wanting to know more about them. 

In the 1800s, Byker-Hill (or Byker Hill or Byker) was located east of Newcastle upon Tyne in Northumberland.  Historically, according to the website Byker Lives, there were several coal pits there as well as quarries, brick, lead, and glass works, flax mills, and a tannery.  Byker is now a geographic area within the city of Newcastle in Northumberland.

Among my Northumberland ancestors, Byker Hill is the location of several events.

• Elizabeth Thompson was born in Byker Hill in 1817, according to the 1871 and 1881 U.K. Census.  Elizabeth married Robert Laws in 1834.
• William and Martha (Reay) Doyle lived in Byker-Hill when their son, William, was baptized in 1828.

These two couples are in-laws.  In 1863, Elizabeth Laws, daughter of Robert and Elizabeth (Thompson) Laws married Andrew Doyle, son of William and Martha (Reay) Doyle.

While researching Byker-Hill, a town where my coal mining ancestors lived, I came upon a song by that title.  It should have been no surprise that it was about coal miners.  The nearest I could come to learning its origin was that it was a folk song, written in the early 1800s.  It's probable that my Doyle and Laws ancestors heard and perhaps even sang "Byker Hill."  I share this in honor of the men in those families who were all "collier lads."  (Sing along if you like:  the lyrics are below the video.)



            Byker Hill

            If I had another penny
            I would have another gill
            I would make the piper play
            The Bonny Lass of Byker Hill

            Chorus
            Byker Hill and Walker Shore
            Collier lads for ever more
            Byker Hill and Walker Shore
            Collier lads for ever more

            When first I come down to the dirt
            I had no trousers and no pit shirt
            Now I've gottin' two or three
            Oh Walker Pit's done well by me.

            Chorus

            The pitman and the keelman trim
            They drink bumble made from gin
            Then to dance they all begin
            To the tune of Elsie Marley

            Chorus

            Geordie Charlton had a pig
            He hit it with a shovel and it danced a jig
            All the way to Walker Shore
            To the tune of Elsie Marley

            Chorus

            Oh, gentle Jenny's behind the barn
            With a pint of ale underneath her arm
            A pint of ale underneath her arm
            And she feeds it to the baby

            Chorus

As is true of many folk songs I found three or four variations of lyrics and more than a few extra or alternate verses.  You can see several variations here at Mainly Norfolk:  English Folk and Other Good Music.

How I wish there were photographs of Byker-Hill from the 1800s.  I would like to know what it looked like.

--Nancy.

Copyright ©2018, Nancy Messier. All Rights Reserved.
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A Touch of Mytreeitis

Ron Tanner has talked about mytreeitis for a number of years at RootsTech.  It's the non-infectious disease of being too possessive about one's FamilySearch Family Tree and the individuals who are added there.  For the longest time I've had not problems with others adding the wrong individuals as ancestors, probably because not many people were working on the same lines.  But when I began looking at "my" tree more closely this week, I've seen several problems.  And now... now I have mytreeitis. 

Family records tell me that Robert Laws and Elizabeth Thompson are the parents of my great-grandmother Elizabeth Laws Doyle.  Family records stop with Robert and Elizabeth so, in truth, I don't know who Robert's parents are.  Maybe they are Robert Laws and Ann Maddison but if they are, wouldn't it have been kind of the person who added Robert and Ann to have also added sources, or at least a reason statement, to help document this parent/child relationship as well as their marriage?

When I search for Ann Maddison I find no record on FamilySearch or Ancestry that connects her with Robert Laws, let alone Elizabeth Laws Doyle.  But the fact is, I can't definitively say that Robert and Ann are not the parents of Robert Laws.  However, other sources on FamilySearch seem to indicate that Robert's parents may be Margaret Burton/Buston and George Laws.

Maybe I'm too careful.  I don't add individuals to my genealogy software program (let alone an online tree) until I have enough information to be relatively certain of names, relationships, and dates.

I would like to ask my cousins and other relatives who add people to FamilySearch Family Tree to please leave "my" tree alone.  But I won't.  While it may be frustrating, challenging, and annoying to have people on the tree without any documentation, I know having these unknown individuals and relationships will encourage me to research more and, hopefully, make me a better and more careful researcher.

Ah, the joys and challenges of a shared, online family tree.  And the challenge of mytreeitis.  I'll recover.

--Nancy.

Copyright ©2017 Nancy Messier. All Rights Reserved.
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Elizabeth Laws Doyle - Amenuensis Monday & 52 Ancestors

Elizabeth (Laws) Doyle is my father's paternal grandmother.  Her obituary was published in Greenville, Pennsylvania's The Record Argus on September 6, 1910.

Stoneboro....
Mrs. Elizabeth Doyle died at the
home of her daughter, Mrs. Henry
Jones, August 20, aged 64 years. Mrs.
Doyle was a native of England and
has lived here for quite a number of
years.  Her husband died a few
years ago.  They lived on the hill,
near the old No. 2 mine and kept a
small store.  She was the mother of
twelve children, six boys and six
girls, and had a great many grand-
children all of whom were present
but one, Mrs. Allen Cochran, who
was so far away and could not be
here.  The funeral was held at the
home of Henry Jones, September 2.
A very large number of friends, rela-
tives and neighbors were present.  In-
terment was made in the Oak Hill
cemetery, beside her husband, And-
rew Doyle, Sr.  The sons and daugh-
ters living are:  Mrs. Lizzie Jones,
William Doyle, Mrs. Martha Cochran,
Robert Doyle, Mrs. Maggie Doyle,
Andrew Doyle, Jr., Mrs. Mary A.
Campbell, Isabella, George and John
Doyle and Mrs. Ida Doolittle.  All are
married and some have very large
families of their own.  Those out of
town were Maggie and family, And-
rew and family, of Jackson Center;
Mr. and Mrs. H. H. Campbell and
Isabella and family, of Franklin; Mr.
and Mrs. John Doyle, of Grove City;
Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Doolittle, of
Sharon.

Notes
Elizabeth emigrated from England in October, 1870, when she came with her four oldest children to meet her husband, Andrew, who had come the year before. 

The obituary states that Elizabeth was the mother of 12 children but family records tell me there were 14, three of which died within one year of birth.  The obituary names the surviving 11 children.  Though I had the names of all the children, I didn't have the married names of the daughters.  I am pleased to learn the additional information from this obituary.  It will be a great help in locating them in census and other records.

Her children, from the article above (with additional information from family records in brackets) are

• Mrs. Henry (Lizzie) Jones - [Elizabeth Jane] - child #2
• William Doyle [Tressa Froman] - child #1
• Mrs. Martha (Allen) Cochran - child #4
• Robert Doyle - child #3
• Mrs. Maggie Doyle of Jackson Center - [Margaret] - child #5
• Andrew Doyle, Jr. of Jackson Center - child #6
• Mrs. Mary A. (H. H.) Campbell of Franklin - [Mary Ann] - child #7
• Isabella of Franklin - [or Isabell] - child #9
• George Doyle - child #8
• John  (& Mrs.) Doyle of Grove City - child #11
• Mrs. Ida (Clarence) Doolittle of Sharon - child #10

Infant children who predeceased Elizabeth are Emma in 1885; Fred in 1888; and Frederick in 1889.

I love obituaries because they give a researcher a place to start.  Information may be correct or incorrect but at least it's a hint, a suggestion, and possible a fact.

Elizabeth's obituary was given to me by Dayna whose research meets mine at my father's half-sister, Tressa Doyle Wilson.  Thank you, Dayna.

This post is in response to Amy Johnson Crow's call to her readers to write about 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks. 

--Nancy.

Copyright © 2014-2015 Nancy Messier. All Rights Reserved. .

Kind Thoughts...

... for my great-grandmother,
Elizabeth (Laws) Doyle --

Take this little messenger
As a token true,
That the wish recorded here
Is sincere for you.





My sincere wish for you, Gramma, is for a Very Happy Birthday.  I hope your family and the angels are celebrating your birthday with you!

Elizabeth was born on this date, October 28, in 1845.

--Nancy. .

A Hundred and Fifty Years

I wanted to find information about wedding customs in 1861 to go along with this post about the marriage of (James) Andrew Doyle and Elizabeth Jane Laws. I was unsuccessful.

They were married in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland, England, on Monday, November 11, 1861.

He was a 25-year-old widower. She was 16. Her parents did not want her to marry him. She married him anyway. (My siblings and I get our strong wills (or is it stubbornness?) from every ancestral line.) He came to the U.S. in 1869. She and their first 4 children followed in October, 1870. They finally settled in Stoneboro, Mercer County, Pennsylvania.

They had 11 children who survived into adulthood. I haven't traced all of their children and their families but I think they may have more than a thousand descendants by now.

Their marriage lasted 46 years, until Andrew's death in July, 1908.

How grateful I am for Elizabeth's strong will -- or I wouldn't be here!

Happy Anniversary, Gramma and Grampa!

A Birthday Greeting for Elizabeth Laws Doyle

Elizabeth Laws Doyle is my g-g-grandmother. She was born on this date, October 28, in 1845 in Northumberland, England. I've been thinking about her today and wish to commemorate her day with this birthday postcard. It reads:

A Birthday Greeting
Of all the days of all the year
That bring their joys to you,
May this your Birthday bring you dear
The best you ever knew.

I hope you have a happy birthday, Gramma Doyle.

The Family of Andrew and Elizabeth (Laws) Doyle

November 11 is the anniversary of my great-great-grandparents, Andrew and Elizabeth Jane (Laws) Doyle. They were married in Northumberland, England, in 1861. To remember them I'm posting their family group.

Happy Anniversary, Gramma and Grampa.

Husband
Andrew Doyle
b. 13 Apr 1836, Wallsend, , England
d. 23 Jul 1908, Stoneboro, Mercer, Pennsylvania
m. 11 Nov 1861, Woodburn, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland, England

Wife
Elizabeth Jane Laws
b. 28 Oct 1845, Yousin Square, , England
d. 30 Aug 1910, Stoneboro, Mercer, Pennsylvania

Children
William Doyle
b. 3 Mar 1863, Bedlinton [Bedlington, Northumberland?], England
d. 28 Apr 1941, Findley Township, Mercer, Pennsylvania
m. 17 Mar 1885, Stoneboro, Mercer, Pennsylvania
spouse: Tressa Rose Froman

Elizabeth Jane Doyle
b. 30 Dec 1864, Bedlinton [Bedlington, Northumberland?], England
d. , , Pennsylvania
m.
spouse:

Robert Doyle
b. 24 Sep 1866, Bedlinton [Bedlington, Northumberland?], England
d. 29 Sep 1944, Stoneboro, Mercer, Pennsylvania
m.
spouse:

Martha Doyle
b. 26 Apr 1868, Cambois, Northumberland, England
d.
m.
spouse:

Margaret Doyle
b. 13 Jul 1871, Arnot, Tioga, Pennsylvania
d. 19 Apr 1952, Baden, Beaver, Pennsylvania
m. 28 May 1890, Franklin, Venango, Pennsylvania
spouse: David Wood

Andrew Doyle, Jr.
b. 8 Jan 1873, Pardoe, Mercer, Pennsylvania
d. 25 Oct 1948, Grove City, Mercer, Pennsylvania
m. ~1897
spouse: Margaret E.

Mary Ann Doyle
b. 8 Apr 1875, Croton, [Mercer?], Pennsylvania
d. 29 Aug 1957, Franklin, Venango, Pennsylvania
m. 19 Oct 1893, Ripley, Chautauqua, New York
spouse: Hurd Hendrickson Campbell

George Doyle
b. 9 Apr 1877, Stoneboro, Mercer, Pennsylvania
d. 6 Sep 1953, Franklin, Venango, Pennsylvania
m. ~1898
spouse: Emma L.

Isabell Doyle
b. 13 Mar 1879, Pardoe, Mercer, Pennsylvania
d. 23 Sep 1944, , Allegheny, New York
m.
spouse:

Ida Doyle
b. 23 Mar 1881, Stoneboro, Mercer, Pennsylvania
d. 28 Mar 1977, Crawford, Indiana, Pennsylvania
m.
spouse: Clarence Dolittle

John Doyle
b. 30 Nov 1882, Stoneboro, Mercer, Pennsylvania
d. 23 Jun 1941, Lancaster, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
m. ~1907
spouse: Emma

Emma Doyle
b. 2 Dec 1884, Stoneboro, Mercer, Pennsylvania
d. 1885, Stoneboro, Mercer, Pennsylvania

Fred Doyle
b. 17 Jun 1887, Stoneboro, Mercer, Pennsylvania
d. 23 Apr 1888, Stoneboro, Mercer, Pennsylvania

Frederick Doyle
b. 28 Jan 1889, Stoneboro, Mercer, Pennsylvania
d. 28 Jul 1889, [Stoneoboro, Mercer?], Pennsylvania

Of the children above, William, Andrew, Mary Ann (Campbell), George, Isabell, Ida (Dolittle), and Emma are known to be buried in Oak Hill Cemetery, Sandy Lake Township, Mercer County, Pennsylvania. Children who may be buried there are Elizabeth Jane, Martha, John, Fred, and Frederick.

Most of the above information comes from the records of Tressa Doyle Wilson. Other information comes from death certificates and U.S. census records.