Elizabeth Newbery neé Thornton

I have some pictures, given to me by my father, of his mother Elizabeth. Curiously, they are labelled Elizabeth Houghton. Curious, because I have a copy of the marriage certificate (Q4 1910 10 a 954) and unless there is another Arthur Newbery marrying Elizabeth around that time (and a BMD search has so far shown nothing), that would seem to be her. It might, I suppose, have something to do with her being married in the district of Houghton (Le Spring).

Her father is recorded on the marriage certificate as William Thornton. So, it should be easy to find her details. Alas, this is not so far proving to be the case.

She was 25 at the time of her marriage, so that puts her date of birth from 25 Dec 1884 - 24 Dec 1885. There are no likely candidates that I can find, nor can I find her in the 1901 census. I thought I had her details, but when I got the birth certificate for Elizabeth Thornton, b 9 June 1885 it shows her mother as Thornton and no father. Since she had a father called William Thornton at the time of her marriage, I'm guessing that this isn't her.

Other Photos

Obviously taken about the same time as the last. No, I don't know who the other person is, although I suspect it could be one my father's aunts: Catherine (Kate) STRAUGHAN.

With dog…

…and cat (I have some other photos with her and the same cat.

and finally, this very early picture. Alas, all of the pictures are undated.

Uncle John

Dad mentioned an "Uncle John" who lived in America. I recall Dad writing to him, and, as I recall, not getting a reply. However, when I started looking into the family tree, there is no-one called John. Certainly no uncles that I could see, nor great-uncles, nor indeed any likely looking male relatives. However, when I went though his address book, I found the following entry (which is also the only entry with a U.S.A. address):

Does this ring any bells? Louisville Colorado was a coal mining town (with, apparently, a reputation for violence. The coal ran out in the 1950s). As a lot of the family were coal miners, one of them ending up in a Colorado coal town seems quite reasonable. But, who is he? If you can help me find Dad's Uncle John, I'd be most pleased.

Update: Found, but relationship uncertain

I'm pretty sure I've located John Watson, and his probable relationship to Elizabeth Thornton (I'm guessing 1st cousin), but I've come to a stop without being able to confirm the relationship. This is what I learned…

US Federal Census

Indeed, John shows up nicely on Garfield Ave, together with his wife (Ada), no children, and various other useful pieces of information: his birthdate and place (abt 1890, England), occupation (Coal miner) and residence five years previously! In Iowa.

Armed with that information, it was easy to find him in previous US Federal Censuses, and also find his immigration and naturalisation details. Plus his birth details from assorted vital records (b 1 Dec 1890, Houghton Le Spring. d Feb 1978). All of which puts him in the right time and place to be related to Elizabeth.

Iowa Census

Since he was in Iowa in 1925, he also was recorded in the 1925 Iowa state census. And that census asked a lot more questions than the federal census. In particular, the names, and ages, of both parents—including mother's maiden name. So now I have:

John WATSON

father John WATSON; mother Maryann TANTON

Adah(sic) WHITE

father Chas WHITE; mother Jane GESCALL

I drew a blank then. I could find no signs of a John WATSON marrying a Maryann—or Mary Ann—TANTON. Indeed, I could find little sign of the unusual TANTON name around Durham. And then I thought, if the census enumerator apparently turned "Ada" into "Adah", did that mean she misheard a Geordie accent? Does an Iowan hear Geordie "Thorton" as "Tanton"?

Update: Found!

The journey to discovery

Mary Ann Thornton had three children with Unknown Unknown (according to their birth certificates) whom she never married.

Then, I found the school entrance for the middle child Maria, with a matching date of birth. The entrance records give her father’s name as John—and the chilling entry “burnt to death”—and confirmation of the rough death date. Then another school entrance date for John Watson, with the matching date of birth to John Thornton—father John “(Late)”. Finally, the school entry for Elizabeth (Thornton) with Mark as her father (actually her grandfather).

Summary

Children

So Mary Ann had a child with John Watson, while unmarried. But 2½ years later she had another with him—and a third 2½ years later. I don't know why they never married (or if they did, I can find no record), but by the time John (jr) entered school, his father was acknowledged on the record and he was apparently using his father's surname.

As for poor Maria, the Durham County Advertiser recorded:

A Child Fatally Burnt at Houghton-le-Spring—Maria Thornton, seven years of age. who resided with her parents at the New Town, Houghton-le-Spring, died yesterday morning from the effect of burns received on Wednesday. It is stated that the child had been throwing corn on to the fire “to make blue lights”, when her pinafore became ignited. Mrs Tracey, a neighbour, hearing the screams of the child, went to her assistance, and found her clothing in flames from head to foot. Dr. Langenberg was called, and everything that was possible done to relieve the child's sufferings.

Mary Ann did subsequently marry, a widower with six children (William Gibbon); presumably the William THORNTON (actually GIBBON) on Elizabeth's marriage certificate.