Missing man after 1871

[searcher248]

How do you actually find someone who disappears after the 1871 census? I have tried census, (re-) marriage and death records after 1871, even the 1939 register just in case he was alive. Emmigration records don't show him or any possibilities. All I have is his birth and marriage certificates. Nothing shows up in the newspapers, apart from his wife, and he is not actually named even though he deserted her. I have one son who names him as a different name on his marriage certificate, and no real concrete estimation as to when he may have died. One son says he was dead at the time of his marriage, whilst on census the wife says she is a widow much later. He was born in 1849. Has anyone else managed to find their missing relative, and how?

 

[peter]

How do you actually find someone who disappears after the 1871 census? I have tried census, (re-) marriage and death records after 1871, even the 1939 register just in case he was alive. Emmigration records don't show him or any possibilities. All I have is his birth and marriage certificates. Nothing shows up in the newspapers, apart from his wife, and he is not actually named even though he deserted her. I have one son who names him as a different name on his marriage certificate, and no real concrete estimation as to when he may have died. One son says he was dead at the time of his marriage, whilst on census the wife says she is a widow much later. He was born in 1849. Has anyone else managed to find their missing relative, and how?

Since emigration records don't start until 1890 (and even then only record passengers on ships travelling outside Europe) there's plenty of scope for him to have emigrated. Don;t forget to check in Scotland and Ireland.

He could have changed his name.. again there would probably be no record of this. He may have changed his name AND emigrated.

My advice is to focus on your 'brick walls' and hope this chap turns up of his own accord. If he did start another family this is most likely to show up as a DNA match.

 

[searcher248]

Thanks for the reply and the insight. I did follow another man through census etc, with the same name, same occupation, slightly differing ages, but overall I have no proof this is my man. He did name some of his children from this (second?) marriage with names the same as my relatives sister and children. The DNA route is one I am willing to go down, but have yet to actually understand the results of my DNA test! He remains a stubborn brick wall, the one that I would like to demolish above all my others, before I too become an ancestor!

 

[Anne B]

I had one relative who was on board a ship as a crew member in last record for him so presume he lived out life/died elsewhere.

 

[peter]

have yet to actually understand the results of my DNA test!

Everything you need to know is in the Masterclass - so long as you follow the strategies there, and collaborate with documented cousins who have tested, your DNA matches will start to fall into place.

He remains a stubborn brick wall, the one that I would like to demolish above all my others

But he isn't a 'brick wall', merely a loose end (he isn't preventing you from researching further back in your tree). Focus on your DNA matches and if he did have another family you might discover a match with one of their descendants.

 

[searcher248]

Yes, you are right - he is not a brick wall, I used that term incorrectly! I have traced further back - it's his the death and his whereabouts before I can't find. I am working my way through the masterclass again and hopefully I will begin to understand.

You never know where a person may be, on a ship, in another country/county.....but so far I haven't found him.

Thanks for your replies.

 

[Lankylady]

Just reading through some back threads on the forum and found your post. I have a very similar problem with a 'loose end' in my family tree. My gt grandmother, Anna Maria Buttolph, married a James Palmer (baptised 1847 in Norfolk) in 1869 but by 1871 they seem to have been living separately, James with his mother, Anna Maria lodging with someone else, both in Wymondham, Norfolk. In about 1876, my grandfather, William was born in Hull, surname Palmer, but I've never been able to find a birth certificate for him. By 1881, mother and son were lodging with a John Morris, again in Wymondham but by 1891, they were living as a family with William using the name Morris, by which he was known for the rest of his life, in my hometown of Horwich, in Lancashire. John/Jonathan and Anna Maria never married so I'm assuming James Palmer was still alive somewhere but after 1871, I've never been able to find him. Not really important either as I do not believe him to be the father of William but still an annoying 'loose end.'

 

[jorghes]

Just reading through some back threads on the forum and found your post. I have a very similar problem with a 'loose end' in my family tree. My gt grandmother, Anna Maria Buttolph, married a James Palmer (baptised 1847 in Norfolk) in 1869 but by 1871 they seem to have been living separately, James with his mother, Anna Maria lodging with someone else, both in Wymondham, Norfolk. In about 1876, my grandfather, William was born in Hull, surname Palmer, but I've never been able to find a birth certificate for him. By 1881, mother and son were lodging with a John Morris, again in Wymondham but by 1891, they were living as a family with William using the name Morris, by which he was known for the rest of his life, in my hometown of Horwich, in Lancashire. John/Jonathan and Anna Maria never married so I'm assuming James Palmer was still alive somewhere but after 1871, I've never been able to find him. Not really important either as I do not believe him to be the father of William but still an annoying 'loose end.'

What surnames have you checked for William's birth register? I would think you would need to check all three - mother's maiden name and the surnames of both her partners to see if he was registered in any of the three.

My great-grandfather (who was illegitimate and whose father is a brick wall) appears at one point on a census record with his step father's name (and gives his step-father as his father on his marriage documents), but was registered under his mother's maiden name, and went back to using her maiden name after that one appearance on the census (possibly because the next census his older half brother (also illegitimate) had come to live with them and he used their mother's maiden name.)

That brother is a loose end for me, he disappears after the 1901 census and I only have question marks for marriage/1911 and death.

 

[Heather]

Hi Lankylady, There is a William Hilton Palmer birth registered in Hull December qtr 1877 MMN Butler, could this be your grand father? I see Anna Marie's surname is Butolf on the FreeBMD marriage entry. Haven't found James yet will have another look and let you know if I find him. PS I'm originally from Lancashire too ---- Darwen.

 

[Lankylady]

Hi Lankylady, There is a William Hilton Palmer birth registered in Hull December qtr 1877 MMN Butler, could this be your grand father? I see Anna Marie's surname is Butolf on the FreeBMD marriage entry. Haven't found James yet will have another look and let you know if I find him. PS I'm originally from Lancashire too ---- Darwen.

Thank you, I had already checked out William Hilton Palmer with the Hull register office, along with another William Palmer born around the same time. This has been a long on-going problem for me - too long a story to recite here. Another Lanky person eh? Small world!

 

[Pauline]

I'm assuming James Palmer was still alive somewhere but after 1871, I've never been able to find him

You may already have eliminated this one, but could this be him in 1901: RG13 4464 fo: 59 p 15 in Yorkshire, birthplace Melton Norfolk. The age is a couple of years out.

 

[GrahamC]

How do you actually find someone who disappears after the 1871 census? I have tried census, (re-) marriage and death records after 1871, even the 1939 register just in case he was alive. Emmigration records don't show him or any possibilities. All I have is his birth and marriage certificates. Nothing shows up in the newspapers, apart from his wife, and he is not actually named even though he deserted her. I have one son who names him as a different name on his marriage certificate, and no real concrete estimation as to when he may have died. One son says he was dead at the time of his marriage, whilst on census the wife says she is a widow much later. He was born in 1849. Has anyone else managed to find their missing relative, and how?

I think you will need a lot of luck. It's usually much easier to follow a line back in time than to go forward. I have several lost cousins who disappear from the records never to be seen again. If someone else is looking for them the Lost Cousins site could help but in most cases it means the end of the line.

However you can be lucky. From time to time I will plug a name into Ancestry or FamilySearch even if I've looked before and see what comes up (usually hundreds of names or none at all). On one occasion I struck pay dirt. "Well off" orphans Edward Frederic Kenny (14) and his sister Annie Louisa (16) appear not far from home in Leicestershire in the 1881 census. After that. Nothing! One day I was trying various combinations of Edward, Frederic(k) and Kenny in FamilySearch. FamilySearch had not long added California Death Certificates to their collection and from there up came the expected dozens of deaths for FREDERICK KENNY. However one caught my eye because his mother's maiden name rang a bell. This was my Fred Kenny. From there I was able to go back and trace his and his sister's extensive movements back to Leicestershire.

 

[Bob Spiers]

I think you will need a lot of luck. It's usually much easier to follow a line back in time than to go forward.

Too true Blue! I have a handful of missing Ancestors from Censuses (possibly a big handful as I've lost count), but you are right about luck and I would add perseverance as the only solution. A cursed mis-transcription is often the root of the problem and only this week, I found my long lost Ambler ancestors in the 1881 Census.

I had had no luck even with numerous minimum and wild card searching (using both Ancestry & FMP), so decided to go with a daughter named Clara Rosina (not too many of those I thought) but with a blank surname; a date +/- 2 and a generic county to limit the hits. The family were Birmingham based but I tried Warwickshire & Worcestershire, as often both relate.

No luck with Warwickshire but the results for Worcestershire gave up a Clara Rosina Arnoke. And yes you've guessed, when examined up popped the whole Arnoke (aka Ambler) family and they got added on LC. So one down, more to go. One of those remaining is an important direct line Witts family member (and some of her children) missing totally from 1881, yet reappearing 1891 & onward. I have tried all my usual tricks, including the no surname search, but have so far been unsuccessful. I am sure, one day I will discover them or the reason why they are missing. Meanwhile must remember to call it a 'loose end' rather than a brick wall