William George Owen - Which One is He?

[poetrydiva]

Here's what I know so far. My husband's great grandfather is William George Owen. Census records list him being born in 1880 in either Ludlow or Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England. In the 1891 Census, he's listed as being the ADOPTED SON of William Owen [b. 1834] and Ann (nee unknown) [b. 1832]. William Owen is sometimes listed as being born in Wednesbury, Staffordshire, England and other times Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England. We would like to find out who his birth parents were.

The family legend is that William George Owen's birth parents were a doctor and a nurse who were working at a castle in Shropshire and they got pregnant out of wedlock and put the baby up for adoption.

[christanel]

Welcome to the British_Genealogy forums
Did your William George Owen marry Agnes Winifred Carney? Just trying to get a handle on this family.
We need to find him on the 1881 census if he was definitely born 1880 - the census can be out on birth date depending on month of birth and the accuracy of the information given.

I went looking for the birth of a William George Owen 1879-1881 on FreeBMD and there is one in the December 1/4 1880 registration district Atcham which includes Shrewsbury. So I then went to the GRO index and looked up the birth there because it gives the maiden name of the mother. The mother of this child has the mmn Hughes. So I looked on FreeBMD again for the marriage of a couple William Owen and mother ? Hughes. There is one on Free BMD registration district Atcham in the March 1/4 1873. They are the only two people on the page (usually there are 4) so I didn't have to work out who married who. But looking at the censuses your couple were married much earlier than that as they are together in the 1861 census both born Shrewsbury and living in Meole Brace Shropshire. Unfortuantely only Annie a widower is on the 1911 census living with William jnr and his wife and they have filled in the form correctly so no marriage details given for her, so no help there.
Of course all of the above information is of no use if the first names William was registered with at birth were changed by William and Annie when they 'adopted' him.
Just a small point - in the 1891 census which says adopted son the relatioship is meant to be recorded as the relationship to the head of the household and is not necessarily his relationship to Annie his adoptive mother.
In the 1871 census Annie says she was born Cheshire Liverpool but not in any other census and where is she in 1881?
All of the above are observations without any conclusion or guarentee I have the correct censuses just now. I am going to look for Annie in 1881
Christina

[christanel]

I think I have found Annie in 1881
RG11 piece 2645 folio page
Loton park, Braginton, Alberbury, Shropshire

John Jones 60 game keeper, Shrewsbury
Harriett Fleming 17 boarder Alberbury, Shropshire
Annie Owen 47 Visitor, Shrewsbury
Eliza Henrick 3 visitor Hereford, England

Remember on the 1871 census there was a Rosa Henrick age 3 birth place unknown with William and Annie Owen well here is another one Eliza Henrick.
The only birth I could find on FreeBMD near enough to a Rosa Henrick was one for a Rosetta Edith Hendrick, Clerkenwell June 1/4 1868.
I can't see a birth for an Eliza Henrick 1875-1880 although there are four for Elizabeth Hendricks biut none in Hereford. Two in Liverpool in 1876, one in St Saviour 1877 and one in Holywell 1879.
Christina

[christanel]

I think the surname of Eliza and Rosa is actually Henrich
Birth reg Dec 1/4 1879 Shoreditch vol 1 page 75 Eliza Louise Henrich. Mother's maiden name Huntley
Marriage June 1/4 1879 reg dist Kensington vol 1 page 110 George Johann Henrich and Charlotte Lydia Huntley.
This couple are together in 1881 with Eliza age 1 and George has become John G Henrich born Frankfurt. RG11 piece 393 Folio 4 Page 1 So if Eliza age 1 is with her parents in 1881 census who is the Eliza with Annie Owen in 1881?

Birth Rosa Henrich Sept 1/4 1867 vol 8b page 200 mother's maiden name Meek.
Marriage Joseph Karl Henrich and Mary Emma Meek reg dist Liverpool vol 8b page 420
On the 1861 Annie Owen gave her birth place as Liverpool although the enumerator had put it in the county of Cheshire.

Doesn't help with William as yet but if we can find their marriage then it may give some clues.

Christina

[almach]

Birth Rosa Henrich Sept 1/4 1867 vol 8b page 200 mother's maiden name Meek.
Marriage Joseph Karl Henrich and Mary Emma Meek reg dist Liverpool vol 8b page 420
On the 1861 Annie Owen gave her birth place as Liverpool although the enumerator had put it in the county of Cheshire.

I've just been working on Rosa, Christina, here are my notes.

HENRICH, ROSA, Mother's maiden name MEEK
GRO Reference: 1867 S Quarter in LIVERPOOL Volume 08B Page 200

There is this marriage, St Anthony Liverpool, 5 Feb 1859
Karl Joseph Henrick/ Mary Emma Meek.

In 1881 Carl or Karl and Mary are in Bradford with their children one of whom is Rosa age 13 born Liverpool RG11; Piece: 4459; Folio: 169; Page: 36;

In 1871 Carl and Mary are with children but no Rosa, RG10; Piece: 4478; Folio: 45; Page: 40; So, could this be the Rosa with William and Anne Owen in 1871.

[almach]

There's this birth but in Bradford not Hereford.

HENRICH, ELISE, MMN MEEK
GRO Reference: 1877 S Quarter in BRADFORD YORKSHIRE Volume 09B Page 170

A probable death for Elise

Deaths Sep 1883
Henrich Elisa 5 Bradford Y 9b 33

I think she is the child Eliza with Ann Owen in 1881 as she's not with her parents Carl and Mary in 1881.

[almach]

I haven't found a connection between William and Ann Owen and Mary Henrich nee Meek, at least not a direct connection.

This looks a likely marriage for William and Ann

Marriages Jun 1854, Shrewsbury, 6a 1239
William Owen/Ann Lloyd

[almach]

I see William George Owen emigrated to Canada in 1913 and Agnes followed in 1914.

Do Canadian death certificates give full date of birth?

[almach]

There are two trees on Ancestry which give William George's date of birth as 30th July 1880 but there's no records to back this information up, perhaps the DOB has been passed down from family. Perhaps one of these trees is yours, poetrydiva?

[almach]

There are two trees on Ancestry which give William George's date of birth as 30th July 1880 but there's no records to back this information up, perhaps the DOB has been passed down from family. Perhaps one of these trees is yours, poetrydiva?


Here's what I know so far. My husband's great grandfather is William George Owen. Census records list him being born in 1880 in either Ludlow or Shrewsbury, Shropshire,

If that DOB is correct there's this possible, we have to consider William may not have been born an Owen, indeed ha may not have been given the names William George at birth. However, assuming his given names didn't change there is this birth registration to fit with DOB 30/07/1880

PAYNE, WILLIAM GEORGE -
GRO Reference: 1880 S Quarter in LUDLOW Volume 06A Page 574

Probably an illegitimate birth as no Mother's maiden name given

[poetrydiva]

Did your William George Owen marry Agnes Winifred Carney?

I went looking for the birth of a William George Owen 1879-1881 on FreeBMD and there is one in the December 1/4 1880 registration district Atcham which includes Shrewsbury. So I then went to the GRO index and looked up the birth there because it gives the maiden name of the mother. The mother of this child has the mmn Hughes. So I looked on FreeBMD again for the marriage of a couple William Owen and mother ? Hughes. There is one on Free BMD registration district Atcham in the March 1/4 1873. They are the only two people on the page (usually there are 4) so I didn't have to work out who married who. But looking at the censuses your couple were married much earlier than that as they are together in the 1861 census both born Shrewsbury and living in Meole Brace Shropshire. Unfortuantely only Annie a widower is on the 1911 census living with William jnr and his wife and they have filled in the form correctly so no marriage details given for her, so no help there.
Of course all of the above information is of no use if the first names William was registered with at birth were changed by William and Annie when they 'adopted' him.
Just a small point - in the 1891 census which says adopted son the relatioship is meant to be recorded as the relationship to the head of the household and is not necessarily his relationship to Annie his adoptive mother.
In the 1871 census Annie says she was born Cheshire Liverpool but not in any other census and where is she in 1881?
All of the above are observations without any conclusion or guarentee I have the correct censuses just now. I am going to look for Annie in 1881
Christina

Yes, my William George Owen did marry Agnes Winifred Carney in 1911. I did come upon that BMD record for a William George Owen mmn Hughes but also found a death record in the same quarter of 1880 and he wasn't with his parents in 1881 (they were William Henry John Owen and Eliza mmn Hughes), so we were able to rule that one out today.

The 1861 census and 1911 census you mentioned are the correct family ones. This has definitely been a head-scratcher.

[poetrydiva]

I think I have found Annie in 1881
RG11 piece 2645 folio page
Loton park, Braginton, Alberbury, Shropshire

John Jones 60 game keeper, Shrewsbury
Harriett Fleming 17 boarder Alberbury, Shropshire
Annie Owen 47 Visitor, Shrewsbury
Eliza Henrick 3 visitor Hereford, England

Remember on the 1871 census there was a Rosa Henrick age 3 birth place unknown with William and Annie Owen well here is another one Eliza Henrick.
The only birth I could find on FreeBMD near enough to a Rosa Henrick was one for a Rosetta Edith Hendrick, Clerkenwell June 1/4 1868.
I can't see a birth for an Eliza Henrick 1875-1880 although there are four for Elizabeth Hendricks biut none in Hereford. Two in Liverpool in 1876, one in St Saviour 1877 and one in Holywell 1879.
Christina

I believe that is likely the same Ann Owen. We had been wondering why she wasn't in the 1881 Census with William, her husband. We also noticed the Rosa Henrick living with them in 1871 and couldn't figure out who she might be? It's interesting that this 1881 Census with Ann Owen has another Henrick visiting at the same time.

Now I'm even more intrigued. What was the connection to the Owens and the Henricks?

[poetrydiva]

I haven't found a connection between William and Ann Owen and Mary Henrich nee Meek, at least not a direct connection.

This looks a likely marriage for William and Ann

Marriages Jun 1854, Shrewsbury, 6a 1239
William Owen/Ann Lloyd

That is indeed a possibility. We will look into that further.

[poetrydiva]

I see William George Owen emigrated to Canada in 1913 and Agnes followed in 1914.

Do Canadian death certificates give full date of birth?

Yes, they did emigrate to Canada. Hamilton, Ontario, to be exact. He got a job at Otis Elevator, in Hamilton, but that company no longer exists.

If the date of birth is known, it is listed on the death certificate. We don't have a copy of the death certificate at this time, but have sent messages to a couple of my husband's aunts to see if they may have a copy or could get one.

[poetrydiva]

There are two trees on Ancestry which give William George's date of birth as 30th July 1880 but there's no records to back this information up, perhaps the DOB has been passed down from family. Perhaps one of these trees is yours, poetrydiva?

one of those trees is my husband's tree. His is blahut2. The other is mine, under my dad's ancestry id sshipley126. So you found them both. lol

I've been trying to figure out how we came to obtain the 30 July 1880 date of birth. The information likely came from my husband's grandfather or one of my husband's aunts.