So I am looking for descendants of:
George Newman (b 1822 Chelmsford, Essex, England d 1868 Chelmsford, Essex, England He was a Printer/Composter) and
Mary Ann Bridge (b 1834 Essex, Southminister, England d 1911Chelmsford, Essex, England).
To my knowledge Mary Ann Bridge and George Newman had 5 children all born in Chelmsford, the youngest was born after George’s death.
They were:
George Henry b 1860 (1859 D Quarter)
Louisa Jane b 1862 (1861 S Quarter)
John William b 1864 (1863 S Quarter)
Frederick Charles (my great grandfather) b 02 November 1865 he married Mary Ann Simmons. Interesting story with these two, see below...
Alice Mary Newman b 1868 (1865 D Quarter)
After George’s death she married Francis (aka Frank) Willsher b White Colne, Essex, England.
1911 census says Mary Ann and Frank had 3 children, with 2 still living:
Mary Ann Willsher b1874
Florence Edith Willsher b 1876 (1876 J Quarter, Chelmsford)
Maud Minnie Willsher b 1879 (1878 S Quarter, Chelmsford)
On the 1891 census I have Frederick Charles (he was a billiard marker) and Mary Ann (Molly Ann) living in London, with their 2 sons (Frederick John and Eric Alexander)
In 1901 Mary Ann is living with her sister and brother in law, with another sister and brother in law in the next household. Frederick John is living with his maternal grandparents in St Albans, but I can't trace Frederick Charles or Eric in 1901. Although I do find an Eric Newman with correct birthdate registered at St John The Evangelist School father's name is listed as Frederick in July 1896...
In 1903 Mary Ann gets on a boat and comes to Philadelphia where she is met by her groom, license in hand. Problem is she has told him she is 10 yrs younger than she really is, and that she has never been married! (I have passenger list and marriage affidavit/license) When Frederick John came over a couple years later the passenger list says he was going to his "Aunt" and uncle. (Later in life she did finally admit that she was Fred and Eric's mother after making them call her Aunt Mabel for years). Side note: 2 of her sisters also immigrated to USA with their families.
Eric somehow was sent to Canada for reasons unknown to him. and eventually came down to Pennsylvania/New Jersey where his mom and brother were living.
I don't know what happened to Frederick Charles.
The story I heard growing up was that he gambled away their house and that is what broke up the family. A few years ago my oldest cousin on this line said he had heard that Frederick Charles had been hung for stealing a horse. I would like to find documentation as to what happened to Frederick Charles, part of the problem is Frederick Newman is a fairly common name, so finding the correct records for my great grandfather has been a challenge. Also, how and why Eric ended up in Canada before coming to America. I am thinking maybe tracing Frederick's family down might help me find out more about him.
I have tested with Ancestry as has my great uncle Eric's grandson Carl. Hoping that will help us find some answers.
