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I am trying to fill in some gaps. My great grandmother Maria O'Connor Marchant was born in Trowbridge in 1841. I first find the family in 1851 census at Mortimer Street Trowbridge - I cannot find them in 1841
James Amed Marchant (transcribed Merchant) 1808 (1809)
Maria 1808
Sarah 1827 (1826)
James 1828
Alfred 1838
Maria 1842 (1841)
Rebecca 1845 (1844)

The dates in brackets are the birth records I have found. I can track James and Maria right through to their deaths as I can with the three daughters. But the two sons are an enigma.

James married Mathilda Martin (I believe) in April 1851 and they had a daughter Mary Ann ca 1852. Mathilda died in 1859 and in 1861 Mary Ann Marchant (adopted) is living with Sarah Pratt nee Marchant in Cardiff. I cannot find James in 1861 but in 1871 he is lodging with Rebecca Gale nee Marchant in Cardiff. And that's the last I find of him.

Alfred is even more of an enigma - after 1851 census nothing.

Can anyone help?

James Ames Marchant baptised by John and Ann 14/8/1807
death in Melksham Wilts James Ames Marchant 1883.

Maryb

Are the younger children from a second marriage ?

James Amed Marchant - son of Richard Marchant and Jane Elliott
James Marchant
England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
residence:Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England
parents:Richard Marchant, Jane
record title:England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
name:James Marchant
gender:Male
baptism/christening date:24 Dec 1809
baptism/christening place:Saint James, Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England
father's name:Richard Marchant
mother's name:Jane
indexing project (batch) number:C15350-5
system origin:England-EASy
source film number:1279313

Married to Maria Trollop - all five children theirs. Can find Sarah, Maria and Rebecca's christenings all at St James Trowbridge but not the boys. Maria died in Cardiff early in 1859 and by December, James had married Selina Perkins.

Maria (Jnr) married Lewis Llewellyn
Sarah married William Pratt
Rebecca married James Gale.
I can find all of them up to their deaths

It's just the two sons I cannot find.


:-)

Could this be Alfred?

1880 United States Federal Census
about Alfred Marchant Name: Alfred Marchant
Home in 1880: Catskill, Greene, New York
Age: 42
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1838
Birthplace: England
Relation to Head of Household: Self (Head)
Spouse's Name: Sarah E. Marchant
Father's birthplace: England
Mother's birthplace: England
Neighbors: View others on page
Occupation: Assistant Supt Of Woolen Mill
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Gender: Male
Cannot read/write

Idiotic or insane: View image
Household Members: Name Age
Alfred Marchant 42
Sarah E. Marchant 36 ,born Connecticutt
Alfred E. Marchant 15 , born "
Eugene Marchant 14 , born Rhode Island
James A. Marchant 9 , born Connecticutt
Charles W. Marchant 5 , born "

Ann, I had all that info previously so some of the info found has confirmed what I already knew.

Margee - it's a possibility. As I say I can't find James, Maria, Sarah, James and Alfred in 1841 (Maria junior born in July). I find them as a complete family unit in 1851 - Alfred is 13. And then he disappears completely. The problem is that Marchant/Merchant is a very common name in Wiltshire.

Ann I am sorry you are offended. If you read my original post you will find that I stated EXACTLY what I had which was effectively James and Maria and their three daughters right through to their deaths. But I had very little about the boys James and Alfred. So I asked if anyone could fill the gaps specifically with those two. And all that has been found is all about James, Maria and their three daughters and nothing about the boys all of which, as I say, I already knew.
I am one of the first to acknowledge the efforts the help of researchers and try in my limited fashion to help anyone else.

So please accept my apologies - and everyone else thanks for your efforts but the gaps I am trying to fill are still gaps.

James Marchant
England and Wales Census, 1841

birth: 1827 —Wiltshire
residence: 1841 —Bradford, Bradford, Wiltshire, England
census: 1841 —Bradford, Bradford, Wiltshire, England

record title: England and Wales Census, 1841
name: James Marchant
event: Census
event date: 1841
gender: Male
age: 14
birthplace: Wiltshire
record type: Household
registration district: Bradford Union
sub-district: South Eastern
civil parish: Bradford
county: Wiltshire

could this be Alfred?

Alfred Marchant
United States Census, 1880

birth: 1838 —England
residence: 1880 —Catskill, Greene, New York
spouse: Sarah E. Marchant
children: Alfred E. Marchant, Eugene Marchant...

record title: United States Census, 1880
name: Alfred Marchant
residence: Catskill, Greene, New York
birthdate: 1838
birthplace: England
relationship to head: Self
spouse's name: Sarah E. Marchant
spouse's birthplace: Connecticut, United States
father's birthplace: England
mother's birthplace: England
race or color (expanded): White
ethnicity (standardized): American
gender: Male
martial status: Married
age (expanded): 42 years
occupation: Assistant Supt Of Woolen Mill
nara film number: T9-0836
page: 100
page character: C

Eugene Marchant
United States Census, 1880

birth: 1866 —Rhode Island, United States
residence: 1880 —Catskill, Greene, New York
parents: Alfred Marchant, Sarah E. Marchant

record title: United States Census, 1880
name: Eugene Marchant
residence: Catskill, Greene, New York
birthdate: 1866
birthplace: Rhode Island, United States
relationship to head: Son
father's name: Alfred Marchant
father's birthplace: Ireland
mother's name: Sarah E. Marchant
mother's birthplace: Connecticut, United States
race or color (expanded): White
ethnicity (standardized): American
gender: Male
martial status: Single
age (expanded): 14 years
occupation: Works In Woolen Mill
nara film number: T9-0836
page: 100
page character: C
entry number: 3109

James A. Marchant
United States Census, 1880

birth: 1871 —Connecticut, United States
residence: 1880 —Catskill, Greene, New York
parents: Alfred Marchant, Sarah E. Marchant

record title: United States Census, 1880
name: James A. Marchant
residence: Catskill, Greene, New York
birthdate: 1871
birthplace: Connecticut, United States
relationship to head: Son
father's name: Alfred Marchant
father's birthplace: Ireland
mother's name: Sarah E. Marchant
mother's birthplace: Connecticut, United States
race or color (expanded): White
ethnicity (standardized): American
gender: Male
martial status: Single
age (expanded): 9 years
occupation: At School
nara film number: T9-0836
page: 100
page character: C

I have just found that I had this for Alfred ..
Name:Alfred Marchant
Gender:Male
Birth Date:abt 1837
Christening Date:1 Oct 1837
Christening Place:Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England
Father's name:James Marchant
Mother's name:Maria

I also have the christening record for James confirming 1828 (didn't realise I had either of these so all this has at least prompted me to find these!)

So I don't think the 1841 census in Bradford Wiltshire is the right one. In the 1851 census James Snr is a cloth manufacturer which fits with the emigrated Alfred perhaps. When James moves to Cardiff he becomes a grocer which he remained for the rest of his life.

The American connection looks quite possible - it would certainly explain why Alfred drops off the world so to speak!

1881

Alfred MARCHANT Self M Male W 42 ENG Assistant Supt Of Woolen Mill ENG ENG
Sarah E. MARCHANT Wife M Female W 36 CT Keeping House CT CT
Alfred E. MARCHANT Son S Male W 15 CT Works In Woolen Mill IRE CT
Eugene MARCHANT Son S Male W 14 RI Works In Woolen Mill IRE CT
James A. MARCHANT Son S Male W 9 CT At School IRE CT
Charles W. MARCHANT Son S Male W 5 CT IRE CT


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source Information:
Census Place District 2, Catskill, Greene, New York
Family History Library Film 1254836
NA Film Number T9-0836
Page Number 100C

2 James Marchants born within 2 years of each other in Towbridge.
The one with middle name of Ames/Amed to John and Ann.

The one without middle name to Richard and Jane.

James Ames as it says on baptism and death record died 7/4/1883 probate 19/9/1883 net total £1186 17s 6d.

The other James marchant born 1809 died in 1875 in Melksham

Maryb

1841 Trowbridge D11> 5
John Marchant 1778 shoemaker
Ann 1785 nee Marchant married19/11/1806 parents of James Ames Marchant.
Eliza 1823
1851 they are at D2f 23
Next door is Edward A Marchant he was born about 1813 died 1895 and christened Edward Ames Marchant by John and Ann.

Edward married 1843 to Grace Drinkwater Flower he was a widow in 1851 with 3 children.

John Marchant 1778 married Ann Marchant born @ 1785 to John Marchant and Sarah Sainsbury they also had Richard 1784 who married Jane Elliot this info off a tree on Ancestry so please double check.

Maryb.

The plot thickens.

My great great grandfather was definitely James Amed/Ames Marchant.

I have the probate and the "formerly of Cardiff" is the pointer. In 1851 census James and Maria are living in Trowbridge with their five children. By 1861, Sarah, Maria and Rebecca are all in Cardiff. Sarah, by then Pratt, must have been there for at least six years as her first born son was born in Cardiff.

Maria was a servant and not yet married as was Rebecca.

Maria senior died in Cardiff Q1 1859 and in Q4, James married Selina Perkins. They are living in Cardiff in 1861. I have long worried that I had the wrong James as if born in 1809 he was only 16 at his marriage!

I had looked into the John and Ann scenario sometime ago - thinking maybe John was a brother to Richard. I also suspect Ann may have been Ames before marriage.

So whilst it doesn't fill in the gaps for James junior and Alfred it wipes a whole load of lineage going back...deep joy! A challenge or what!

Thanks everyone! I have a week off next week - guess what I am going to be doing?!! ;-)

I'm in Cardiff and in the 1970 Kelly's there were about twenty Marchant's

Google James Ames Marchant of Trowbridge,there is an article in London gazzette about the two brothers.

Maryb.

I have just trawled on Ancestry through the Enumeration districts for Trowbridge in 1841. Whilst there are 14 pages for District 2 where Mary has found John and Ann, Mortimer Street where James and Maria were living at the time is District 11 and there is only the front sheet. Does anyone have access to the 1841 census elsewhere that they could look up?

:-)

Sometimes districts changed between census records,I have noticed this a few time whem searching my self.

it seems the only way is to go through the whole of them,which takes forever.

There may have been another sibling for James Ames and Edward Ames as on the census 's for Edward there is a niece Mary Marchant born about 1838 who seems to remained unmarried but I can't determine whose daughter she was.

Maryb