William LEWIS death abt 1881 to 1884 (General)

by mrsbruso , Tuesday, November 23, 2010, 19:34 (5119 days ago) @ mrsbruso

After searching for 27 years to find my unaccounted for great grandfather, William Lewis, Slowhands found a very promising lead. Family lore holds that William, a 31 year old native of Hirwaun, died when my grandfather, Charles George LEWIS was an infant or toddler. Supposedly, William died of caisson's disease during the construction of the Severn Tunnel. His wife, Mary Ann LEWIS nee CLARKE was living at herf parents' home, Box Tree Cottage, then New Road, Blakeney at the time. In the 1881 census she and the children are in Blakeney and William is with his parents in Hirwaun.

I finally received the death certificate for the William Lewis whose death Slowhands found~nd whose info seemed promising. Alas, this William was a seaman whose death was registered at his home but who died of asthma in the US. The name and age matched but I can't see family history as being that inaccurate. Past details (marriage at Viney Hill, census, etc) list him as a collier or coal rider.

Anyone have any suggestions of what I should do next? I have reviewed all the probate register indices for everything from 1880 (the year before his youngest son's birth) to 1891 when his widow remarried.