Wilkes_ml
13-12-2014, 1:50 AM
I wasn't sure where to put this, as it spans Shropshire, Lancashire and dips into France and Ireland and isn't really a brick wall!
This was starting to drive me a bit mad, and am not sure if I am on the right track, or barking up the wrong tree, so would appreciate it if anyone has the time to look through and see if it makes sense!
On 27th May 1843 at St. Michael, Madeley, Shropshire, William RUFUS (an Iron moulder of full age, bachelor and resident at Madeley ) son of Thomas RUFUS (Moulder) married Joanna/Johanna HIGGINS (of full age, spinster resident at Brosely) daughter of Thomas HIGGINS (Collier), by licence. Witnessed do not appear to be related.
I traced the baptism of Joanna HIGGINS daughter of Thomas & Ann HIGGINS at All Saints, Broseley, Shropshire 16th July 1815. I was hoping to find the couple together in the census to get an age and birth place for William RUFUS to confirm that he was the William RUFUS, son of Thomas & Hannah RUFUS nee OWEN baptised at St. Michael, Madeley, Shropshire 28th September 1806.
With a name like Joanna, I thought the search would be easy, however I could not find the couple together, or seperately and could not find a burial for either of them.
So, searching for any RUFUS, born Broseley, I found a "Hannah" RUFUS, of the right age living in King Street, Broseley, Shropshire who consistently said she was married but no sign of a husband.
1851 Census HO107 piece 1989 folio 392 pg 7: King Street, Broseley, Shropshire
Hannah RUFUS, Head, married, age 30, Inn Keeper, born Broseley (b. 1820-1821)
1861 census RG9 piece 1859 folio 56 pg 13: King Street, Broseley, Shropshire
Hannah RUFUS, Head, married, age 44, Licenced victualler, born Broseley (b. 1816-1817)
1871 Census RG10 piece 2757 Folio 57 pg 16: King Street, Broseley, Shropshire
Hannah RUFUS, Head, married, age 56, Licensced victualler, born Broseley (b. 1814-1815)
Hannah was also listed in the 1863 and 1870 Post Office Directory as Mrs. Hannah RUFUS of the Kings Head, King Street, Broseley.
So I started to think that maybe her husband was in an institution somewhere, but thought it was unlikely he would be institutionalised for at least 30 years! And I could find no evidence of him anywhere in Shropshire.
So, going back to 'Hannah'....I couldn't find her in 1881 census, so suspected she had died, but could not find a death registration for Hannah.....but there was a death Registration for Joanna RUFUS in September Quarter 1877 (Madeley Reg District) aged 62 (therefor born 1814-1815 which ties in with the Joanna who married William RUFUS).
I also found that 'Hannah' RUFUS left a will, proved 10th December 1877 at Shrewsbury, and the index gives a date of death of 18th August 1877 which ties in with the death registration of Joanna!
The probate calender states that Hannah RUFUS was a widow, late of King Street, Broseley. This pretty much confirmed that 'Hannah' and Joanna were the same person. And from this piece of information, I guessed that she (or the executors of her will?) must have been aware of her husband's death prior to 1877.
Assuming that William RUFUS must have died 1871 to 1877, I searched further afield, and came up with William RUFUS who was buried at Manchester Cemetery, 2nd May 1872. The address given was 7 Brunswick street, Openshaw (which appears to be a suburb of Manchester). William RUFUS was aged 63 (born 1808-1809 which ties in with the William who was baptised at Madeley, son of Thomas RUFUS) and the grave owner was Mary RUFUS.
Then a lightbulb went off in my head and I suddenly realised I had come across a William & Mary RUFUS before: William RUFUS, bachelor of Madeley, Shropshire had married Mary Ann LITTLEWOOD, spinster of Hope FLN at the British Embassy, Paris
previously mentioned here (http://www.british-genealogy.com/threads/83973-British-Embassy-marriage-in-Paris-1844?highlight=rufus)
Searching the Census again, I found
1871 census RG10 piece 3982 folio 8 pg 10 259 Gorton Lane, Gorton, Lancashire
William RUFUS, Head, Married, age 56, Unemployed iron Moulder, born Shropshire (b. 1814-1815)
Mary RUFUS, wife, married, age 50, born Roscon or Roscow? near Chester (b. 1820-1821)
Thomas RUFUS, son, unmarried, aged 26, born Louver {sic} France (b. 1844-1845)
Gustavous{sic} RUFUS, son, unmarried, aged 24, born Louver {sic} France (b. 1846-1847)
Louisa RUFUS, daughter, unmarried, aged 18, born Dundalk, Ireland (b. 1852-1853)
William RUFUS, son, unmarried, age 15, born Dundalk, Ireland (b. 1855-1856)
Alfred RUFUS, son, unmarried, age 12, born Dublin, Ireland (b. 1858-1859)
This would explain why the family is missing from the 1851 & 1861 census.
And in the 1881 census RG11 piece 3903 folio 123 pg 29 at 285 Gorton Lane, Gorton, Lancashire
Mary RUFUS, Head, widow, age 60 born Hope in ????? {Flintshire? as per given in marriage entry in Paris} (b. 1820-1821)
Louisa RUFUS, daughter, unmarried, age 26, born Dundalk, Ireland (b. 1854-1855)
William RUFUS, son, unmarried, age 24, born Dundalk, Ireland (b. 1856-1857)
Fred RUFUS {Alfred from 1871 census}, son, unmarried, born Dublin, Ireland (b. 1858-1859)
(Gustavus has married and moved to 1 Spurgeons Cottages, Rose Hill Road, Ipswich by 1881 Census RG11 piece 1874 folio 102 pg 10)
So this leaves the puzzle....is this enough circumstantial evidence to prove that the William RUFUS of Madeley who married Joanna HIGGINS 27th May 1843 is the same William RUFUS of Madeley who married Mary Ann LITTLEWOOD at the British Embassy in Paris 26th February 1844, just 8 months later!
If this is the case, then this must be the best piece of detective work I've done so far!
Incidentally, the grave plot where William RUFUS is buried (no. 1247) is also occupied by his wife Mary who died in 1882, son Gustavus (died 1907), daughter Louisa ( died 1933) and 3 grandchildren (William RUFUS who died 1874 aged 1 month, Thomas Charles Frederick RUFUS who died 1893 aged 10 and Stanley RUFUS who died 1895 aged 19 months).
So, was William RUFUS a bigamist? Is that why he was out of the country for so long, and if he was still married to Joanna/Hannah, how did she know that he was still alive, or when he died?
Thanks to anyone who waded through this!
This was starting to drive me a bit mad, and am not sure if I am on the right track, or barking up the wrong tree, so would appreciate it if anyone has the time to look through and see if it makes sense!
On 27th May 1843 at St. Michael, Madeley, Shropshire, William RUFUS (an Iron moulder of full age, bachelor and resident at Madeley ) son of Thomas RUFUS (Moulder) married Joanna/Johanna HIGGINS (of full age, spinster resident at Brosely) daughter of Thomas HIGGINS (Collier), by licence. Witnessed do not appear to be related.
I traced the baptism of Joanna HIGGINS daughter of Thomas & Ann HIGGINS at All Saints, Broseley, Shropshire 16th July 1815. I was hoping to find the couple together in the census to get an age and birth place for William RUFUS to confirm that he was the William RUFUS, son of Thomas & Hannah RUFUS nee OWEN baptised at St. Michael, Madeley, Shropshire 28th September 1806.
With a name like Joanna, I thought the search would be easy, however I could not find the couple together, or seperately and could not find a burial for either of them.
So, searching for any RUFUS, born Broseley, I found a "Hannah" RUFUS, of the right age living in King Street, Broseley, Shropshire who consistently said she was married but no sign of a husband.
1851 Census HO107 piece 1989 folio 392 pg 7: King Street, Broseley, Shropshire
Hannah RUFUS, Head, married, age 30, Inn Keeper, born Broseley (b. 1820-1821)
1861 census RG9 piece 1859 folio 56 pg 13: King Street, Broseley, Shropshire
Hannah RUFUS, Head, married, age 44, Licenced victualler, born Broseley (b. 1816-1817)
1871 Census RG10 piece 2757 Folio 57 pg 16: King Street, Broseley, Shropshire
Hannah RUFUS, Head, married, age 56, Licensced victualler, born Broseley (b. 1814-1815)
Hannah was also listed in the 1863 and 1870 Post Office Directory as Mrs. Hannah RUFUS of the Kings Head, King Street, Broseley.
So I started to think that maybe her husband was in an institution somewhere, but thought it was unlikely he would be institutionalised for at least 30 years! And I could find no evidence of him anywhere in Shropshire.
So, going back to 'Hannah'....I couldn't find her in 1881 census, so suspected she had died, but could not find a death registration for Hannah.....but there was a death Registration for Joanna RUFUS in September Quarter 1877 (Madeley Reg District) aged 62 (therefor born 1814-1815 which ties in with the Joanna who married William RUFUS).
I also found that 'Hannah' RUFUS left a will, proved 10th December 1877 at Shrewsbury, and the index gives a date of death of 18th August 1877 which ties in with the death registration of Joanna!
The probate calender states that Hannah RUFUS was a widow, late of King Street, Broseley. This pretty much confirmed that 'Hannah' and Joanna were the same person. And from this piece of information, I guessed that she (or the executors of her will?) must have been aware of her husband's death prior to 1877.
Assuming that William RUFUS must have died 1871 to 1877, I searched further afield, and came up with William RUFUS who was buried at Manchester Cemetery, 2nd May 1872. The address given was 7 Brunswick street, Openshaw (which appears to be a suburb of Manchester). William RUFUS was aged 63 (born 1808-1809 which ties in with the William who was baptised at Madeley, son of Thomas RUFUS) and the grave owner was Mary RUFUS.
Then a lightbulb went off in my head and I suddenly realised I had come across a William & Mary RUFUS before: William RUFUS, bachelor of Madeley, Shropshire had married Mary Ann LITTLEWOOD, spinster of Hope FLN at the British Embassy, Paris
previously mentioned here (http://www.british-genealogy.com/threads/83973-British-Embassy-marriage-in-Paris-1844?highlight=rufus)
Searching the Census again, I found
1871 census RG10 piece 3982 folio 8 pg 10 259 Gorton Lane, Gorton, Lancashire
William RUFUS, Head, Married, age 56, Unemployed iron Moulder, born Shropshire (b. 1814-1815)
Mary RUFUS, wife, married, age 50, born Roscon or Roscow? near Chester (b. 1820-1821)
Thomas RUFUS, son, unmarried, aged 26, born Louver {sic} France (b. 1844-1845)
Gustavous{sic} RUFUS, son, unmarried, aged 24, born Louver {sic} France (b. 1846-1847)
Louisa RUFUS, daughter, unmarried, aged 18, born Dundalk, Ireland (b. 1852-1853)
William RUFUS, son, unmarried, age 15, born Dundalk, Ireland (b. 1855-1856)
Alfred RUFUS, son, unmarried, age 12, born Dublin, Ireland (b. 1858-1859)
This would explain why the family is missing from the 1851 & 1861 census.
And in the 1881 census RG11 piece 3903 folio 123 pg 29 at 285 Gorton Lane, Gorton, Lancashire
Mary RUFUS, Head, widow, age 60 born Hope in ????? {Flintshire? as per given in marriage entry in Paris} (b. 1820-1821)
Louisa RUFUS, daughter, unmarried, age 26, born Dundalk, Ireland (b. 1854-1855)
William RUFUS, son, unmarried, age 24, born Dundalk, Ireland (b. 1856-1857)
Fred RUFUS {Alfred from 1871 census}, son, unmarried, born Dublin, Ireland (b. 1858-1859)
(Gustavus has married and moved to 1 Spurgeons Cottages, Rose Hill Road, Ipswich by 1881 Census RG11 piece 1874 folio 102 pg 10)
So this leaves the puzzle....is this enough circumstantial evidence to prove that the William RUFUS of Madeley who married Joanna HIGGINS 27th May 1843 is the same William RUFUS of Madeley who married Mary Ann LITTLEWOOD at the British Embassy in Paris 26th February 1844, just 8 months later!
If this is the case, then this must be the best piece of detective work I've done so far!
Incidentally, the grave plot where William RUFUS is buried (no. 1247) is also occupied by his wife Mary who died in 1882, son Gustavus (died 1907), daughter Louisa ( died 1933) and 3 grandchildren (William RUFUS who died 1874 aged 1 month, Thomas Charles Frederick RUFUS who died 1893 aged 10 and Stanley RUFUS who died 1895 aged 19 months).
So, was William RUFUS a bigamist? Is that why he was out of the country for so long, and if he was still married to Joanna/Hannah, how did she know that he was still alive, or when he died?
Thanks to anyone who waded through this!