Genealogy Chat

I've been trying to find proof of my gggrandfather's birth and I can't. I'm almost certain I have the correct family, but I was wrong once before with my mum's family. I actually posted this question a year or so ago, but that was before I had all of the 'evidence'. May I ask for the last time, please? Would you 'assume' you have the correct family and start to research earlier generations?

I’ve found a James Mumford in England who had a lot of similarities to my James Mumford: My James: born 26-Oct-1826, Hatfield, England Other James: baptized 16-Jan-1827, Hatfield Broad Oak, Essex My James’ parents: James and Martha Mumford Other James’ parents: James and Martha Mumford My James’ occupation: butcher Other James’ occupation: butcher, I believe My James’ father’s occupation: butcher Other James’ father’s occupation: butcher First son named: James Henry Other James: name of James handed down 4+ generations My James: settled in Toronto, Canada in 1857/58 Other James: uncle settled near Toronto, Canada in 1848 Problem: there were a LOT of James Mumford’s in England and there actually was a James Mumford who was a butcher in/near London in 1881. There were 7 towns of Hatfield. As I said, I was wrong once before, but now I’m ready to start research the “other James” if that’s what others would do. Time to research the other James family? PS Thank you to everyone who has helped me get this far!!!

Lisa Yes.

Nell, thank you. Time to research that family! :) (Other yes' still welcomed.) :)

nudge, please, for any other opinions.

At first lance I would say yes - but where are you getting the info about the baptisms from? If you have been told them by a fellow researcher I would check them both out to find out if there were 2 of him (so to speak)

I had a similar problem with my George Anthony Barnes b. 1826 as there was another George Anthony Barnes b.1826 in the same village. I traced each of them through the censuses but didn't find both of them on each census so I wasn't sure it wasn't the same man leading a double life! However when the 1841 came on line I was finally sure there were two. I could place each George Anthony Barnes with his respective family then bring each family forward through the censuses to track mine. Always go back to where you left off and look at new information available - in my case the 1841 was the key.

Hi Tom. The HBO church didn't allow LDS to copy their records, but I was able to order all Mumford records from the church, which is where I received the baptism information. Unfortunately, because of the name being handed down, there were a lot of James Mumford's in Essex (only one other with that year of birth - but he died around age 2). Bridie, actually someone was kind enough to check later census to see if there was another James in England in 1861. Looks like there wasn't, but pessimist me, it doesn't rule out that a second James could have died young or changed his occupation. Thank you both for helping. :)

This is all the James Mumfords 1826 +/- 5 years who appear on 1841, not many really. James Mumford abt 1832 Essex, England Birchanger Essex James Mumford abt 1830 Felstead Essex James Mumford abt 1832 Essex, England Hatfield Broad Oak Essex James Mumford abt 1826 Essex, England Purleigh Essex James Mumford abt 1825 Essex, England Stansted Mountfitchet Essex James Mumford abt 1826 Essex, England Stansted Mountfitchet Essex James Mumford abt 1827 Middlesex, England Chelsea Middlesex James Mumford abt 1831 Middlesex, England Christ Church Spitalfields Middlesex James Mumford abt 1826 Dunchurch Warwickshire James Mumford abt 1826 Worcestershire, England Kidderminster Worcestershire Of course there may be some incorrectly transcribed ones!

Hi Helen. I don't have my notes in front of me, but someone just found a James in 1841 who could be mine (don't remember which location), BUT, the James in Dunchurch could also be mine! Don't see how he could be in two places during the same year. (Both James were born in/around 1826 and were butchers.) Thank you very much for your help, though. I will see if I can track the ones you listed.

Yes the James in Dunchurch is a butcher, working for a William Neville, none of the family/servants are born in the county. The James in Purleigh is also working for a butcher, Charles Coxon. None of the others have butcher connections.

Thank you very much for looking, Helen. Oh no - just looked at Mapquest - there's a Hatfield Peverel a few miles away from Purleigh. :( Would there be an 1831 census in England? (Don't think I've heard of that year.) PS Looked at the map for Dunchurch - quite aways from Hatfield Broad Oak. :( May I ask if the 1841 census has a date on it? Perhaps it could be the same person?