Help - tracing Rhode Island born

[Eviand]

I've been following the family name BEE, the maternal name of my Great-Grandmother. A cousin of hers, Robert Bee married Selina Wolstenholme in 1898 in the district of Sheffield, England.

The 1891 England Census (Class RG12; Piece 3793; Folio 12; Page 13) shows Selina (aged 24) with I presume her parents William (aged 73) and Elizabeth (aged 65) Wolstenholme, both identified as being born in Sheffield, Yorkshire.
However, Selina Wolstenholme is identified as being born in Rhode Island, US (abt 1867).

Selina Wolstenholme's father William is identified as a Grocer & Insurance Agent.

I've tried searching earlier England Census without success. If I wanted to pursue the birth certificate where would I do this, if indeed these exist in the US as we know them here in the UK? Can anyone trace these three on earlier Census? What routes would have been available when travelling between the US (Rhode Island?) and the UK around the late 1860's.

[Sheridanfine]

Hi

This is all that I was able to find....



1870 census, Lowell Ward 2, Middlesex, Massachusetts

Wm Wolstenhome, age 50, file cutter, born England, parents of foreign birth
Elisabeth, age 43, keeping house, born England, parents of foreign birth
Selena, age 3, born Rhode Island




In 1881 the family are living at 79 & 81 Wentworth Street, Nether Hallam, Yorkshire, enumerated as Wolsdenholme

Piece: 4621
Folio: 10
Page: 14


There isn't a complete US bmd index, as records are kept by individual states. I did an internet search for Rhode Island and found that birth records began in 1853. I did do a search in the available online databases but unfortunately didn't find anything but familysearch do appear to have an index on microfilm that you could order from your local family history centre (if you have one??).


1853 to 1878
Vol. 12, Robertson to Stacy Vol. 13, Stacy to Voorheis Vol. 14, Vose to Zuleger FHL US/CAN Film
1788194

Also, I haven't as yet found William or Elizabeth in the passenger lists but will try again with a broader search tecnique


Hope this helps

Best wishes

Yvonne

[Eviand]

Excellant stuff! Thanks.

[Mutley]

Ancestry throws up quite a few Wolstenhome's in Rhode Island in their USA census but I do not have a subscription for the States. Maybe another forum member does.

Looks like some of the family stayed out there.

A Selina Wolstenholme also shows up on the Australian Electoral Roll for 1901 to 1936 but yours would have been married by then.

[ProspectHill]

Hi, Eviand.
Lowell, Mass. is a mill town, one of the first here. The town was designed for that particular purpose, at that particular spot on the Merrimack River (named after local Natives, I think) because the river falls about 24 feet in a mile or two of length, providing great loom-power. My great-grandfather, a German, worked there in the dye-houses, and when a telephone was installed in his mill-office, it was such a pest that he ripped it off the wall and threw it out the window into the river.

North-eastern Rhode Island is the home of the American Industrial Revolution, there along the Blackstone River. I would guess these were mill-people. Sheffield was mill-country, too, wasn't it?

My folks, down in the south of the "State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations" were farmers and fishers. RI is the smallest State, but has the longest name.

If you want a paper birth certificate, you might have to contact the town clerk in the town where Selina was born. I don't know how to do this online, as it is only an hours drive or so to the birthplaces of my 4 most recent generations. (Except the Germans). Most T.C.'s will look up in the books and records for you; some give more time if their other duties are not too pressing.

Best wishes,
Ellen

[ProspectHill]

A quick look at the RIGenWeb brings us this evening's treat - a picture [that was removed by admin's; you will have to find the Wolstenholme stuff on RIGenWeb yourself.]

And:
"In Memory of James Wolstenholme, a native of Sheffield, England, who died Feb. 1, 1819, aged 68 years

In memory of Alfred Wolstenholme, born Sept. 25, 1823, died Oct. 11, 1880 in his 58th year

Sarah A. Wolstenholme, wife of Alfred Wolstenholme, born March 18, 1824, died July 3, 1914, in her 91st year

James, son of James and Hannah Wolstenholme, Jan. 21, 1812 - Dec. 19, 1883

Jane, wife of James Wolstenholme, Sept. 27, 1810 - Nov. 15, 1883

Wolstenholme, Frederic William, 1831 - 1918

Wolstenholme, Margaret Agnes, 1835 - 1911

Wolstenholme, Lizzie Stenton, 1854 - 1929

Cora"