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**margaretmarch** · 10-10-10, 13:49

Well that all seems very strange - two very different names and why would William call himself Brown when he is in fact Whitefoot?
Do you have William Brown's birth at all?
Margaret

**margaretmarch** · 10-10-10, 13:56

Ooh err! I think it might be the same man here's a baptism for William Whitefoot with father Richard in Lydbury http://www.familysearch.org/eng/Sear...set_search.asp which is where William says he was born on the 1901 census you have quoted. there isn't a William Brown baptism in Ludlow or Iron Gate the other two places of birth quoted.
Margaret

**margaretmarch** · 10-10-10, 14:06

Looking for Ada Whitefoot b1875 in the 1881 census nothing is coming up!
Margaret

**Tippin** · 10-10-10, 14:13

Hi Margaret,

I only found out about William Brown on Friday, but a quick search on the familysearch website does bring up a William Brown, born 1827 at Ludlow. And the 1851 census shows a William Brown, born abt 1832 at Lydbury living in Lower Down, Shropshire, but I cannot find him on any other census, so he may have his birth place down wrong on the 51 census (he was a servant!). The problem is, it's quite a hard name to trace!

I am actuall decended from William Whitefoot, son of Richard, born 1832 at Lydbury North, Shropshire, who seems to deserted his family (his wife Rebecca is alone with her 4 children on the 1861 census, and when she dies in 1870 (at Bishop Castle Workhouse!), the informant on the death certificate does not even know her husbands first name!). I was just looking on the Family Search website, and came across the marriage in Derby, did a bit of research, and found the family of William Brown.

Of course, if it does happen to be the same person, William was a bigamist, so that might be the reason for the change of name on the census'. But then why would he call himself Whitefoot on his marriage certificate, and why would his daughter use the name on her birth certificate?

Tippin

**margaretmarch** · 10-10-10, 16:13

Well, that's an interesting story and does give a reason for William to change his name but not to then give the children a different surname. Very puzzling! I shall have a ponder and let you know if I can think of anything else to help resolve this for you. It seems odd to have the two names running at the same time, especially in a small place where the census enumerator was likely to know people day to day - I had thought maybe one name for the census and another for daily use!!
Margaret

**Tippin** · 11-10-10, 09:39

Hi Margaret,

Thanks for having a look for me.

The more I look at this, the more likely it seems to become. But then again, I want to find out what happened to William Whitefoot, and might be manipulation the facts so that they fit together. It’s always great to get a neutral person perspective!

Thanks again,
Tippin

**margaretmarch** · 11-10-10, 10:40

Here's a death in Ludlow
William Whitefoot
Year of Registration: 1865 Quarter of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar
District: Ludlow County: Herefordshire, Shropshire
Volume: 6a Page: 441

I wonder if this could be your William?
Margaret

**margaretmarch** · 11-10-10, 10:52

The William Whitefoot in North Lydbury I was looking at in 1841 is here http://search.ancestry.co.uk/iexec/?...=&pid=13222662 and parents are Richard and Jane by the look of it.
Margaret

**margaretmarch** · 11-10-10, 12:58

Hi, I have looked through all the census images for Ada Whitefoot in Mickleover for 1891 when I would have expected to see her prior to her marriage to John Meeson and she is not there. Also there is no record of her anywhere else in the UK.

I thought I would look to see if the same name variance applied to Harriet and Mary Jane and found
Harriet Brown
Year of Registration: 1871 Quarter of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar
District: Burton Upon Trent County: Derbyshire, Staffordshire
Volume: 6b Page: 365

Mary Jane Brown
Year of Registration: 1873 Quarter of Registration: Apr-May-Jun
District: Burton Upon Trent County: Derbyshire, Staffordshire
Volume: 6b Page: 365

In 1891 when William is with daughter Ada living together in Mickelover I can see John Meeson in the village here http://search.ancestry.co.uk/iexec/?...c=&pid=4409051.

I will look for Harriet and Mary Jane under Brown and Whitefoot.

Margaret

**margaretmarch** · 11-10-10, 13:15

Here's a marriage
Harriet Brown to James Oliver Biddle
Year of Registration: 1894 Quarter of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar
District: Derby County: Derbyshire
Volume: 7b Page: 760
and the 1901 census http://search.ancestry.co.uk/iexec/?...=&pid=19046032 for the couple.
Margaret

**margaretmarch** · 11-10-10, 13:22

Looks like Mary Jane didn't marry and she's in the tree on ancestry which I think you have linked to previously but not sure so give the link again http://trees.ancestry.co.uk/tree/138...rson/304998327

**margaretmarch** · 11-10-10, 13:25

So still not sure what all this means so I guess you're going to have to get some certificates to see what's what!

Here's Ada's birth

Ada Brown
Year of Registration: 1875 Quarter of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep
District: Burton Upon Trent County: Derbyshire, Staffordshire
Volume: 6b Page: 363

Margaret

**Tippin** · 12-10-10, 11:48

Hi Margaret,

Once again, thanks for the help.

The William Whitefoot death in the Ludlow district could be my ancestor, but I have found a William Whitefoot, born 1821 at Stanton Lacey, living in Ludlow in 1861. I cannot find him on any other census' after that, so it could also be him. I mean't to check the NBI last night, but did not have time to even start looking into this!

The William Whitefoot you found on the 1841 census is my 2nd great grandfather. He was the son of Richard Whitefoot, and Jane Evans. He is living as a Servant in Adston in 1851.

I have also been looking for Ada, but cannot find an Ada Whitefoot to match on any census, or any record. In fact, if you just type the name into Ancestry, it comes back with only 2 Ada's on the census', Ada Maria, born 1862 at Bridgnorth (to old to be the Ada I am after), and Ada, born 1878, Marylebone, who marries Frederick Foster Green in 1898 at Westminster (LMA Records).

Tippin

**Tippin** · 12-10-10, 11:56

I though we were still on Page one, did not realise there was now a page two as well!!

Thanks for finding out about Harriet, I had been trying to find her, but with no luck. But that one definatley looks like her!

I believe that Mary Jane married Bernard Halliday, as she is in the tree that you linked to. I have spoken to the person you put the tree on ancestry, and they have told me that they have only just started their tree, and that they have only got back to William with any degree of certanty, so it is still wide open this one. I agree, I think I have to start getting some certificates. I have just applies for the marriage between William Whitefoot & Elizabeth Clarke, so hopfully this tells me something!

Thanks again for all the help,
Tippin

**margaretmarch** · 12-10-10, 12:53

Let us know how you get on please as I'm hooked on your puzzle now!
Margaret

**Tippin** · 20-10-10, 16:37

Hi Margaret,

I have just recieved the marriage certificate of William Whitefoot & Elizabeth Clarke, and the birth certificate of Ada Brown.

The marriage certificate tells me little. The marriage took place on the 21 February 1869, at St Werburgh, Derby. Both were of full age, both were widowed, both were living at Kensington Street. William was a labourer, his father was Richard Whitefoot, who was also a labourer. Elizabeth's father was William Haynes, Labourer. The witnesses were Charles & Jane Clarke, I would imagine that they were relatives of Elizabeth's late husband.

Ada's birth certificate tells me quite a bit! She was born on the 16 June 1875, at Mickleover, to William Brown (Jobbing Labourer), and Elizabeth Brown, late Clarke, formerly Haynes!

I really believe I have enough evidence now to say that William Whitefoot, was William Brown! What do you think?

Thanks,
Tippin

**Alex** · 25-09-11, 16:48

Hi all,
I was tracing down the family of John MEESON (distant relative of mine) and hit the same Brown/Whitefoot dilemma, so I was delighted to find this extensive discussion. Since the last post is from almost a year ago, I wonder if any of you has made any progress on this? Thank you!
Alejandro

**margaretmarch** · 25-09-11, 19:13

Originally posted by Tippin View Post

Hi Margaret,

I have just recieved the marriage certificate of William Whitefoot & Elizabeth Clarke, and the birth certificate of Ada Brown.

The marriage certificate tells me little. The marriage took place on the 21 February 1869, at St Werburgh, Derby. Both were of full age, both were widowed, both were living at Kensington Street. William was a labourer, his father was Richard Whitefoot, who was also a labourer. Elizabeth's father was William Haynes, Labourer. The witnesses were Charles & Jane Clarke, I would imagine that they were relatives of Elizabeth's late husband.

Ada's birth certificate tells me quite a bit! She was born on the 16 June 1875, at Mickleover, to William Brown (Jobbing Labourer), and Elizabeth Brown, late Clarke, formerly Haynes!

I really believe I have enough evidence now to say that William Whitefoot, was William Brown! What do you think?

Thanks,
Tippin

Hi Tippin,
Do forgive me I didn't see your last post on this thread and have only just done so because Alex has kicked it up the board!!

I agree that the evidence you now have seems clear that William Brown is William Whitefoot - why he used a different name I cannot guess

Alex, perhaps you should send a private message to Tippin as I'm not sure she's been on here for a while and may not see your post.
Margaret

**Tippin** · 27-09-11, 12:10

Hi Margaret & Alex,

Margaret, I can't believe this was almost a year ago!! Thanks for your reply. It does look quite convincing, and I have certainly added the Brown's to my tree. I can understand why he would change his name, as his first wife was still alive when he moved to Mickleover, but I can't understand why he went back to using Whitefoot when he, and his youngest daughter married (especially when he married the year before poor Rebecca died). Oh well, I think the only person who ever knew the answer was William himself!

Alex, I have looked at a couple of parish records for the Brown's, but they don't really add anything to the argument for William changing his name. The only one that came close was John Meeson's marriage to Ada Whitefoot. Ada says her father was William Whitefoot, but I think the census evidence already gave me this info as William is with the Meeson's in 1901. If you want more info on William's family, let me know, but I am not a relative of John Meeson, so not too sure if it will add anything to your tree (as I presume distant relative means a cousin of some sort!).

Thanks,
Tippin

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