Trace of Ruradean Hill lady Harriet Laura Annie Matthews

Marriage of Harriet Laura Annie Matthews of Ruradean Hill at the Baptist Chapel Ruradean Hill 18th September 1899 to George Wesley Perkins (my father) of Nottingham.

The couple emmigrated to USA 5th.Oct 1904 in the ss.Majestic from Liverpool. The ship's manifest showed that they were heading for Illinois with their two children George Perkins aged 3 and Gwendoline Perkins aged 20 months and Harriet's sister Margt.E.M.Matthews aged 18. A brother-in-law Thos.Matthews was living in Oglesby Illinois USA.

I understand that the wife Harriet Matthews died in the USA soon afterwards and George W. Perkins returned to the UK on the ss.Baltic and arrived in Liverpool on Feb 1st.1908 with the two children. The sister Margt.Mathews did not return and stayed in the USA.

George W. Perkins died on 21st Jan, 1909 in Boston Lincs. This left the two children (my father George, and his sister Gwendoline) orphans.

I have traced all the subsequent history of the childen but I have no information on the date, place and reason for Harriet's death in USA. I would appreciate any information from any members of the Matthews' family who might have knowledge which would help to complete my family tree. If any members of the Matthews family would contact me I would be delighted.

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2022 views

Kenneth

This has been really interesting, I have a Clara Annie Matthews 1874 married to George Perkins, with children George Wesley & Gwendoline Perkins, plus as you mention sister Margaret Evelyn Mabel Matthews. It is obviously the same family but I must have been given the wrong name for the wife. As the lady is your grandmother, your information must be correct. I received a lot of information from a descendant of your grandmothers brother Thomas Read Matthews.

They are all children of Thomas Matthews 1844 and his first wife Eliza Read 1848. They are not related to me, my interest here is that Thomas Matthews 1844 had a brother Elijah Matthews 1850 who married my 1st cousin 3 times removed Ellen Marfell. Also Letitia Yemm (more later) had a brother Amos Baldwin Yemm who married Rebecca Marfell 1st cousin 4 times removed. The parents of Thomas Matthews, Elijah Matthews, plus a further 8 children are Elijah Matthews 1819 & Harriett Bannister 1825

I have a lot of information that may be useful to you including the marriage certificate between Elijah Matthews & Ellen Marfell, Thomas Matthews 1844 & Eliza Read, also Elijah Matthews 1819 & Harriett Bannister. If you email me by clicking the envelope icon, I can email them to you if you haven't got them already.

Parents of Eliza Read 1848 were James Read 1820 and Letitia Yemm 1821.

I show below some relevant Census information. You will note from the 1881 Census a Clara A Matthews as I have but not a Harriett :

1881 Census
Dwelling: Ruardean Hill
Census Place: (Westbury On Severn) East Dean, Gloucester, England
Source: FHL Film 1341608 PRO Ref RG11 Piece 2521 Folio 138 Page 26
Marr Age Sex Birthplace
Elizabeth MATTHEWS M 38 F East Dean, Gloucester, England
Rel: Head
Thomas R. MATTHEWS 13 M East Dean, Gloucester, England
Rel: Son
Occ: Unemployed
Williman R. MATTHEWS 12 F East Dean, Gloucester, England
Rel: Son
Occ: Tin Plate Worker
Alfred G. MATTHEWS 9 M East Dean, Gloucester, England
Rel: Son
Occ: Scholar
Clara A. MATTHEWS 7 F East Dean, Gloucester, England
Rel: Daur
Occ: Scholar

1871 Census East Dean 2597/120
Thomas Matthews 26 Coal Miner Ruardean
Eliza 28 East Dean
Thomas 3 East Dean
William 2 East Dean

1891 Census Ruardean Hill
Matthews, Thomas abt 1844 East Dean, Head East Dean
Matthews, Eliza abt 1842 East Dean, Wife East Dean
Matthews, Alfred abt 1871 East Dean, Son East Dean
Matthews, Annie abt 1873 East Dean, Daughter East Dean
Matthews, Evelyn abt 1886 East Dean, Daughter East Dean
Matthews, Thomas abt 1868 East Dean, Son East Dean

1851 Census note Bannister families next door both ways.
BANNISTER Emily Widow/er 58 Landed Proprietor Linton
REDDING Elizabeth 30 Wife of Coal Miner Daughter Dean Forest
BANNINSTER William 23 Coal Miner Dean Forest
REDDING John 38 Coal Miner Chaceley
James son 12 Coal Miner Eldersfield
105
MATTHEWS Elijah 31 Coal Miner Ruardean
Harriet 26 Dean Forest
Enoch 8 East Dean
Thomas 6 Ruardean
Eliza 4 East Dean
Elijah 1 East Dean
106
BANNINSTER Ann Widow/er 55 Charwoman Forest of Dean
Thomas 33 Coal Miner Ruardean
Joshua 23 son Coal Miner Forest of Dean
Cornelius 19 Coal Miner Forest of Dean

1861 Census East Dean
Elijah 40 Coal Miner East Dean
Harriett 36 East Dean
Enoch 18 Coal Miner East Dean
Thomas 16 Coal Miner East Dean
Eliza 12 Servant East Dean
Elizabeth 9 East Dean
Hannah 6 East Dean
Emma 2 East Dean

1871 Census East Dean 2597/27
Elijah Matthews 50 Coal Miner East Dean
Harriett 46 East Dean
Elijah 21 Coal Miner East Dean
Emma 12 East Dean
Edith A 9 East Dean
Leah M 7 East Dean
Alice 3 East Dean

1851 Census East Dean
READ James 31 Coal Miner East Dean
Letitia 28 East Dean
Elijah 8 East Dean
Elizabeth 3 East Dean
Letitia 1 East Dean

1861 Census East Dean RG9 1754 251
James Read 40 Coal Miner Ruardean
Letitia 37 Ruardean
Letitia 11 Ruardean
Abia 9 Ruardean
Josiah 6 Ruardean
Tom 3 Ruardean
Fred 9mths Ruardean
Richar Read Lodger 20 Coal Miner Ruardean
Helms Cook lodger 19 Coal Miner

1871 Census East Dean 2597/120
James Read 51 Coal Miner East Dean
Letticia 49 East Dean
Thomas 14 East Dean
Fred 12 East Dean

Jim Ashton

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2051 views

Dear Jim
How wonderful to receive your comments so quickly. I have started to follow up the information you provided.

1. I can not understand why the 1881 census uses Clara instead of Harriet. I guess they were using local nicknames at the time. A lot of them had to use a mark in lieu of a name! Both George and Harriet entered the wrong house number on the marriage certificate. One used 40, the other used 49, whereas the correct number was 43 on Gertrude Road Nottingham where they lived after the marriage and before the trip to the USA. HeyHo.

2. I too make mistakes I have used the name William Matthews 1835 instead of Thomas Matthews 1844 as Harriet's father even though it is clear enough on the Marriage Certificate.

3. Does your records provide any clue to when Harriet died. I have no idea where the family put down anchors after their arrival in 1904. My grand father George would have had to find employment, He was a Journeyman carpenter joiner. The two children would have needed a lot of attention.

4. Do you have any trace of sister Margaret after the family returned to the UK?
Presumably she would marry and stay there.

It might take a little time before I contact you next whilst I sort myself out

Regards to you and your family and thanks again.
Ken Perkins from the Vale of Evesham.

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1902 views

Margaret Evelyn Mabel Matthews married Ruben Guy Fuller 14 Nov 1906 Plainfield Illinois, had 2 children Evelyn L Fuller 1913-1913 and Ethel Fern Fuller 1917-2000, born Plainfield, Ill.

Data's a combination of Ancestry Trees and verified by 1910/20/30 censuses and vital records as far as I can.....works still ongoing, as I only read your post yesterday and realised the involvement of ELIZA Read, a second cousin. BTW, this was ELIZA, and not Elizabeth as some folk have, and appears to have been enumerated as ELIZAH, male, appearing only on 1851 census. Here's the baptism record:

Record_ID: 77081
Entry_Number: 300
Year: 1843
Month: Apr
Day: 2
Parents_Surname: READ
Child_Forenames: Eliza
Fathers_Forenames: James
Mothers_Forenames: Lettice
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Ruardean Woodside
Occupation: Collier
Officiating_Minister: J. Chell
Event: Baptism
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P109 IN 1/2
Page_Number: 38
Parish_Chapel: Drybrook

More work, Jim.......

Regards
Bob Jenkins

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1877 views

Jim

What a wonderful chap you are. The info is very useful. Will be in touch as soom poss,

Ken P.

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1834 views

A lot of "discrepancies" with this family, so done more poking about:

George returned to NY, 29 Apr 1908 from Liverpool, arrived 8 May 1908 on ss Caronia, married, a carpenter,88 Argyle St Boston, brother James Perkins. Overstamped "in hospital".

On arrival in NY he had Tuberculosis, and was deported back to England 12 May 1908 on the Mauretania. (Record of Aliens Held For Special Inquiry)

He therefore seems to have returned to England with his children, and then left them somewhere to return to USA. He was heading for East Landing, Michegan.

Regards
Bob Jenkins

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1828 views

Bob

Thank you so much for the information regarding Geo Westley Perkins. I had begun to believe that he must have been ill before returning to England with the Children. I think they were living at 90 Argyle Street Boston Lincolnshire when they were transfered to the Beeston orphanages at Nottingham at the time of his death which was 21st Jan 1909. His death certificate gave his address as 90 Argyle Street.

I did not know that he had made a second trip to USA 29th April 1908 and been refused entry, then returning on 12th May 1908. I wonder why he returned. Maybe his wife was still alive and living at East Landing Mitchigan? If so this is where her death details might be found since we do know that she died in the USA.

I intend to check the Ellis Island records and the incoming passenger lists just to confirm your details and to see if there are any other details to be had.

Can you advise on the best site to use for USA BM&D and census records. Ancestry.com?

You and Jim (related?) are certainly doing me proud with your help. Thank you and will keep in touch

Ken Perkins

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1813 views

I suspect that the listing on the ship register should have been East Lansing, Michigan rather than East Landing.

dewey

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1764 views

Hi Kenneth

Bob has already responded about sister Margaret Evelyn Mabel Matthews, which has added to the information I already had, I knew she was born 9 Jul 1887 and died 16 March 1948 IL. USA. I didn't know Guy Fuller's full name or precise details of marriage or children. But as they are only "connected" to me, not related, I suppose that's fair enough !! My real connection is with Thomas,s brother Elijah 1850 who married Ellen Marfell. Also of course Eliza Read's mother Letitia Read nee Yemm; 3 of Letitia Yemm's siblings married Marfell's - they get everywhere !!

I can perhaps add to the story with Thomas Matthews 1844. When Eliza Read was buried Drybrook 22 November 1899, Thomas went on to marry widow Mary Price nee Trigg 31 Aug 1901 Drybrook. Mary baptised 11 Nov 1850 was the daughter of William Trigg 1802 and Ann Dean 1806. She had previously married John Price 1848 1st March 1870 Drybrook. My connection here is that William Trigg 1802's brother George Trigg 1796 married Lucy Marfell 1797. Also William Trigg 1802's brother Benjamin 1791 married Elizabeth Roberts 1795 3rd cousin 4 times removed.

Forest of Dean FHT Forum

Trace of Ruradean Hill lady Harriet Laura Annie Matthews (General)