Looking for info on my great grandparents Wm and Lavinia Williams

[wawarussell]

My great grandfather was William Williams (1866 in Pontefract) and his wife was Lavinia Dunwell (1869 Kippax Yorkshire) They came to the United States but I'm not sure of the date. Their son William Ernest Williams was born Jan 23 1888 in Castleford and married Helena Wylie (1884) on 11/12/1907 in Preston Ontario. Another son (born in England) of Wm and Lavinia was Arthur 12/05/1889. Wm and Lavinia had 3 more children:Charles Hayden (08/05/1892) Gladys Evelyn (09/02/1895) and Albert Edward (01/29/1898). I believe they were born in the USA but am not positive. An 1891 census shows Wm.'s mother (Ann) was living with them but I have no further info. I've just started doing research in the last 3 months so need all the help I can get.
Thank youfor your help
Charlotte Roberts Russell
Farmington Minnesota USA

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

Hi Charlotte, welcome to Family Tree Forum!

Could you confirm the date for Charles Hayden as I'm a little confused about who he is the son of?

I see you have included your email address in your post. You may not want this on an open forum. You can delete it (if you wish) by clicking Edit at the bottom right of the post.

[Jammy Dodger]

Family moved from Staffs to Yorks. between 1876/79

1881 census RG11; Piece: 4573; Folio: 77; Page: 72;

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

Do you have their marriage certificate?

Marriages Sep 1886
DUNWELL Lavinia Pontefract 9c 93 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Rhodes William Pontefract 9c 93
THOMPSON Annie Pontefract 9c 93
Williams William Pontefract 9c 93 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

[Jammy Dodger]

There is a public tree on Ancestry with William and Lavinia on it, the Dunwells go back for a few generations but unfortunately William is given as born Llandudno :(

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

I don't think you mentioned Arthur who was 2 in 1891:

Births Mar 1889
Williams Arthur Pontefract 9c 124

I'm hoping your date for William Ernest should be 1887!

Births Mar 1887
WILLIAMS William Ernest Pontefract 9c 139

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

I'm presuming Charles Hayden Williams is the brother of Wm (1966). He doesn't seem to have a middle name at birth. As he was one in 1871 I should think this is his birth reg (though there is another in Q1 1869, but he ought to be 2 on the 1871 census):

Births Sep 1869
Williams Charles Pontefract 9c 87

[wawarussell]

I don't know how this works but I'm hoping you'll be able to go back and see the corrections I made. I just got a book from my sister that had been my mothers and she had info about her dad's (Wm. Ernest) family so I was able to make some changes and add another brother. Unfortunatly there isn't anything about my great granddad.
I hope this clears up any questions you might have.
Thanks for your input about my email address. I have removed it.

[wawarussell]

No I don't have their marriage certificate and am not sure how to go about it. Could you please explain what the 4 names listed mean. Sorry but I'm really new at this and am just taking baby steps ,so will have to be bottle fed for awhile )-:. Hope you don't mind. Also Granddad's birthdate is listed as 1887 and 1888 so who knows.
Charlotte

[wawarussell]

Fortunatly I was able to connect with a gentleman in England and he had info back to the 1500 on the Dunwell's Now if I could just find something like that for the Williams side I'd have it made.
Thanks for your help

[Val and George]

Hello Charlotte, welcome, I am glad you found your way here. I am sure you will find lots of help on this forum, they are really friendly and helpful, and will 'nurse' you through until you feel more confident.
Val in Oz

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

Do you have their marriage certificate?

Marriages Sep 1886
DUNWELL Lavinia Pontefract 9c 93 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Rhodes William Pontefract 9c 93
THOMPSON Annie Pontefract 9c 93
Williams William Pontefract 9c 93 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

No I don't have their marriage certificate and am not sure how to go about it. Could you please explain what the 4 names listed mean. Sorry but I'm really new at this and am just taking baby steps ,so will have to be bottle fed for awhile )-:.
Charlotte

OK there are four names recorded purely because in from 1855 onwards when details of marriages were given to the General Register Office there were usually two marriages recorded on each side of each sheet of paper so each pair of marriages were given the same reference info.

If you want to order a copy of this certificate you can do so online and the postage to anywhere in the world is the same as in the UK - the total cost is £7 per certificate.

The information you need to know is as follows:

The name of the bride or groom or both AS THEY ARE RECORDED IN THE INDEXES (if there is a mis-spelling then use that)

The name of the registration district where the event took place (for the above marriage that's Pontefract)

The year and quarter the event was registered (above is 1886 and SeptQ (that's Jly, Aug and Sept) or Q3)

The Volume number for the district (above, in 1886 Pontefract was Volume 9c)

The page number (above is Page 93)

Once you have the above details and a debit or credit card to make your payment you are ready to order.

Here's the site:

Registration Services - Certificate Ordering Service

You have to register with them first (free). Then you can place your order. On the first order page make sure you say Yes where it asks if you "Is the General Register Office Index known?" other wise they will charge you extra!

When you get to the end of the order make sure the charge is £7 and no more.

Also Granddad's birthdate is listed as 1887 and 1888 so who knows.

The birth registration was in the first Q of 1887 so I expect you have the right date, but possibly the wrong year in your notes!

[Val and George]

Charlotte, I found them in the 1891 census with William's 12 year old sister Mary Ann living with them as well as his mother, Ann. They don't show up in the 1901 census, so I would imagine that they were on their way to America well and truly by then.

I did put in Lavinia's name in the New York passenger lists and two came up, also tried William and Ernest who also showed up, however my ancestry sub doesn't cover the US, so maybe some other person may be able to check those out for you.
Good luck

I did smile when I saw William's occupation as 'coalminer and composer' - I do hope he was able to leave the coalmining behind in England and found himself an easier occupation in the US

[wawarussell]

Could you please tell me what all this means. I'm terribly new and very confused so have no idea what RG or Piece etc. mean. Thanks for any help you can provide.
Charlotte (wawa)

[fiona c]

Looks like William and Lavinia were in Monitoba, Canada for the 1911 census.

There is a son Charles born Scotland, says Gladys was born England.
Would you like the image? Some of it is hard to read.



William is down as a music Teacher.

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

Could you please tell me what all this means. I'm terribly new and very confused so have no idea what RG or Piece etc. mean. Thanks for any help you can provide.
Charlotte (wawa)

Charlotte, were you refering to this bit in Jammy Dodger's post earlier?

Family moved from Staffs to Yorks. between 1876/79

1881 census RG11; Piece: 4573; Folio: 77; Page: 72;

I don't know if you have access to Ancestry these numbers will find you the census page with your family on. If you don't, then for the 1881 you can still find them on Family Search:

Ann WILLIAMS Head M 38 Housekeeper Dom b Atherstone, Warwick
William WILLIAMS Son U 15 Colliery Pony Driver b Featherstone, York
Charles WILLIAMS Son 12 Scholar b Featherstone, York
Ada WILLIAMS Daur 8 Scholar b Tipton, Stafford
Louisa WILLIAMS Daur 5 Scholar b Tipton, Stafford
Mary Ann WILLIAMS Daur 2 Scholar b Normanton, York

Hopetown
21 Chapel Row
Normanton
Yorkshire

[fiona c]

Do you know if Charles Hayden Williams married? Possible boarder crossing from Canada to US in 1939.

[wawarussell]

Hi Fiona, According to my mothers notes he possibly was married to Margaret Martin and they had 4 children. I would love to have the image you are referring to.
Thanks so much for the help. I very much appreciate it.
Charlotte

[wawarussell]

good evening Merry, Man you all are fast with your answers. I wish I knew where the father was in this 1881 census. Is there anyway to see if he was still alive?
Your help is greatly appreciated.
Charlotte

[wawarussell]

Dear Val, I'm surprised that Ann came to the US. Mother never spoke of that event, but then her family was so separated I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Still no mention of a husband. Makes one wonder where he was.
thanks for taking the time to help others with their research.
Charlotte