Just joined!

[paulsmeraldi]

Good morning from New Jersey. I'm researching Paul family and found British-Genealogy by accident. My great grandfather came from England. Unfortunately I can't find exactly from where - I think Dowlish Wake (but that's not written in stone)! I just know I'm going to find my answers from this site. It looks great. Looking forward to your support!

[Geoffers]

Welcome and good luck with your research.

Do you have anything else to go on - when your family emigrated? What they did for a living? How many left England and did they all end up in the same place?

Geoffers

[paulsmeraldi]

Geoffers, I know very little. Charles Stevenson Paul came out of England in 1890 - and settled in New Jersey (that's why I'm here and not there). His father's name was George and his mother's name was Charlotte (maiden name unknown). On Ancestry the only George and Charlotte Paul are from Dowlish Wake. That's why I made that town my starting point. Other than that, I know nothing more of Great grandfather Charles. Any suggestions as to where to go from here!

[kentish kate]

Hi there welcome on board.Everyone here is really helpful good luck with your searches.

[paulsmeraldi]

Kentish, The Paul family thanks you. It's nice to be wanted! I just posted for the first time to the surname board. Hoping for the best.

[Peter Goodey]

When was he born (even approximately)? Did he emigrate with his parents or alone?

[paulsmeraldi]

Peter, Charles Stevenson Paul was born (we think) November 9, 1863. I can tell you quite a bit about him after he got here, but nothing of his previous life. I really don't know if he came alone because I can't find any of his family to search by coming in the "back door".

[Peter Goodey]

I can tell you quite a bit about him after he got here

That's good. But it's important to emphasise that you really must ransack all the archives at your end before spending too much effort on his English roots. What about immigration records? Is there really no record of him entering the USA?

By the way be cautious about making any assumptions based on a stated father's name. It can be misleading. At the moment I would treat George as hearsay .

After you've got immigration records, if any, it may be worth checking Britiah emigration records. See "Passenger lists leaving UK" on find my past.

[paulsmeraldi]

Peter, Didn't know about find my past. Thanks for the tip. According to Charles Stevenson Paul's death certificate his father is George and his mother is Charlotte. I also got his Declaration of Intentions (to become a U.S. citizen) and his final Petition. All that has is the date he was sworn and that he came from England. I had hoped it would have listed the town - but no luck. Thanks again for the help. Off to find my past!!

[MarkJ]

Having a nose around myself.
There is a marriage on FreeBMD which *may* be interesting -
George Paul
Charlotte Earney

Fordingbridge district, volume 2b page 1059
December qtr 1862

Fordingbridge is in Hampshire.

No trace of any birth in the general timescale in Hampshire for a Charles, so if these are the right people, they presumably moved. There are several Charles births in the Somerset area - notably a few around Chard, which is close to your suggested village. Like Peter, I would not take anything for granted - this is likely to be a case of noting down each and every possible person and working through them to eliminate those who can be followed through censuses or marriages etc. Then, when you have a limited number left, you may be able to work on those more intensively.
With only a limited amount of details, tracing people can be difficult - but very rewarding if you do succeed!

Mark