JAMES FARNELL BOATMAN

[Groundhopper]

You say you're looking for John Farnell in Drayton in 1841 & 1851 and that he's "the father of Zachariah who was the father of Susan", meaning anyone trying to help has to go back over to get dates.

From the 1851 census Zachariah was born c1816, and there is only one baptism that matches, parents given as John, a tailor, and Elizabeth, however, all of the other baptisms in Drayton to John around that time period have the mother as Susan(nah), so I think 'Elizabeth' is simply an error, and the 1841 & 1851 census I posted are 'your' John, Zach's father.

19 Dec 1816 Jane d/o John & Susan Farnell, Bell Lane, Tailor
24 Aug 1817 Zachariah s/o John & Elizth Farnell, Drayton, Tailor
29 Nov 1818 William s/o John & Susannah Farnell, Drayton, Tailor
11 Mar 1821 James s/o John & Susannah Farnel, Little Drayton, Tailor
15 Aug 1824 Maria d/o John & Susannah Farnel, Little Drayton, Tailor
14 May 1826 George s/o John & Susan Farnell, Little Drayton, Tailor
30 Nov 1828 Charles s/o John & Susan Farnell, Little Drayton, Tailor
Plus, not sure where this fits in:
19 Sep 1831 Sarah d/o John & Ann Farnell, Drayton, Tailor

No, I couldnt find a marriage between James Blower & Susannah Farnell, which may be why Mary used the Farnell surname.

I agree...i have a marriage of John to Suzanna Brown in Juky 1816 in Market Drayton.

[Groundhopper]

Now this gets confusing because i have found a marriage of a susan Farnell daughter of Zachariah Farnell to a James BEECH not Blower son of Thomas Beech at Wolstanton in 1863. I have found them on the 1871 census at Madeley where her place of birth is given as Drayton...

[Jomot1]

The only other suggestion I have - bearing in mind that in 1861 she is recorded as Sarah and her second son appears to be Henry - is this one:

FARNELL, SARAH mmn PEMBERTON GRO Reference: 1845 J Quarter in WEM AND WHITCHURCH Volume 18 Page 200

ADDED: Scrap that - she wouldnt be old enough to have had William in 1856.

Another option might be to get the birth certificate of the John Farnell aged 7 who is with them in 1861, and see if his mother provides any leads. This looks like it may be him:
FARNELL, JOHN (no mmn) GRO Reference: 1853 D Quarter in MARKET DRAYTON UNION Volume 06A Page 592

Possibly also get the birth certificates of William and/or Henry to see if the mother is Susannah or Sarah.
BLEWER, WILLIAM mmn FARNELL GRO Reference: 1856 D Quarter in DUDLEY Volume 06C Page 39
BLOWER, HENRY mmn FARNELL GRO Reference: 1860 M Quarter in WOLVERHAMPTON Volume 06B Page 544

[Jomot1]

Actually, just going back to that 1861 census where she is 29… IF her name & age is correct and 7-year old John is actually her illegitimate son, then this could be a possible:

1841 Shropshire Street Drayton
John Farnell 37 Tailor
Ann 36
Marth 68 (Not born in County)
Sarah 9
William 8
Mary 6
John 5
Henry 3
James 1

1851 Frog Lane, Drayton
John Farnell 47 Tailor b Drayton
Ann 46 b Drayton
Sarah 19 b Drayton
William 17 Cordwainer b Drayton
Mary 16 b Drayton
John 15 Tailor b Drayton
Henry 12 b Drayton
James 10 b Drayton
Joseph 8 b Drayton
Benjamin 5 b Drayton

Is it possible that Sarah died and Susannah is an entirely different person?

There is a death for a Sarah Blower aged 37 in 1869, Dudley. Looks like she was buried 5 Apr 1869 in Coseley.

[Jomot1]

If the 1869 death is correct, then in 1871 James has step-children named Barratt & a wife named Susannah.

On 11 Jul 1869 Ettingshall, Holy Trinity, James Blower, 33, widower (no father named) married Mary Ann Barrett, widow, 37

In Q3 1870 there is a death of Mary Ann Blower in Dudley, although her age is given as 43.

In Q4 1870 there is a marriage in Wolverhampton RD of James Blower and (same page) Susannah Potts.

Could these all be the same James Blower?

ADDED: Just going back over this thread, Id previously identified the possible parents of the two Barret girls:

BARRATT, AMELIA JANE mmn JESSON GRO Ref: 1863 J Quarter in DUDLEY Volume 06C Page 109
BARRATT, ELLEN ELIZABETH mmn JESSON GRO Ref: 1866 J Quarter in DUDLEY Volume 06C Page 117

John Barratt m Mary Ann Jesson 29 Apr 1844 St Peter, Wolverhampton, so the marriage to Mary Ann Barratt would certainly fit in.

[Jomot1]

Just pondering a bit more on the family headed by John Farnell, the naming of the Blower children starts with her Father’s name and then follows the order of the Farnell children:

1841 Shropshire Street Drayton
John Farnell 37 Tailor – First son (illegitimate)
Ann 36
Marth 68 (Not born in County)
Sarah 9
William 8 – Second son
Mary 6 – First daughter
John 5 – (see father)
Henry 3 – Third son
James 1 – Fourth son

I'm starting to like this theory!

[Jomot1]

I had to pop off earlier, but this 1871 census looks like it may confirm the link

1871 - Frog Lane, Drayton Magna - RG10/2800/54/22
John Farnell 67 Tailor
Ann 67 wife
John 35 son Tailor
James 31 Cordwainer
Joseph 29 son Bricklayer's Labourer
Benjamin 25 Bricklayer's Labourer
John 17 Grandson, Blacksmith Apprentice

All born Market Drayton

[Groundhopper]

I had to pop off earlier, but this 1871 census looks like it may confirm the link

1871 - Frog Lane, Drayton Magna - RG10/2800/54/22
John Farnell 67 Tailor
Ann 67 wife
John 35 son Tailor
James 31 Cordwainer
Joseph 29 son Bricklayer's Labourer
Benjamin 25 Bricklayer's Labourer
John 17 Grandson, Blacksmith Apprentice

All born Market Drayton

I think i like your reasoning so Mary was the dughter of Sarah the daughter of John...what is the reference to 1st illegitimate son is thet him or his child...? thanks for all your work

[Jomot1]

I think i like your reasoning so Mary was the dughter of Sarah the daughter of John...what is the reference to 1st illegitimate son is thet him or his child...? thanks for all your work

I think the John Farnell born 1853 who is visitor to James & Sarah in 1861 is actually Sarah's illegitimate son, and the same person as the Grandson to John & Ann Farnell in 1871.

I guess you'd need John's 1853 birth certificate and Sarah's 1869 death certificate to be sure.

FARNELL, JOHN (no mmn) GRO Reference: 1853 D Quarter in MARKET DRAYTON UNION Volume 06A Page 592
BLOWER, SARAH aged 37 GRO Reference: 1869 J Quarter in DUDLEY Volume 06C Page 32

[Jomot1]

The 1911 census then makes some kind of sense too

1911 - 14 Littletons Row Coseley
Henry Bloor 72 Watchman b Hallman Cheshire **
Susannah 68 wife b Sedgley
Henry 50 son Boatman Coal born Sedgley
George Bloor 30 Boarder Carter b Sedgley

** Although recorded as Henry on the census, the address sheet shows his name as James. They've messed up the years married/children born bit too, as both claim to have been married 40 years, but on James' line it says 4 children born 3 still living. Susannah originally said married 40 years but no children born, which has then been over-written with the information from James' section.

Married 40 years takes them to 1870/1.
James (recorded as Henry) has had 4 children, of which 1 has died
Susannah has had no children.