Genealogy Chat

Please bear with me whilst I type this collection out. The list is quite long. Until I found them,I was beginning to pat myself on the back,but now---!

I have. 1851 census, HO107-2414 Page 23. Michael Willis..b.1795 Chester le Street.Head. Mickley 1841 census, HO107-313-14 Michael Wallace..b.1796 Durham.Kelloe. Families match. IGI search gave me, 24 May 1795 Chester le Street P000581 Michael Willis. f.Michael Willis. m.Magdalen. 08 Nov 1779 Lanchester M000651 Michael Willis Magdaline Hutchinson. Very nice, but then I looked for siblings,-------and found,all Chester le Street P000581 Margaret Willis,06 Mar 1791,f.Michael Willis, m. M. Sarah Willis, 25 Dec 1799, f M.W. m. Maudling Hutchinson. Michael W. 16 July 1797 f. M.W. m. Maudlin. Hannah W. 03 Mar 1793 f.M.W. m. Maudling. Michael W.24 May 1795 f. M.W. m. Magdalen Jane W. 10 May 1789 f. M.W. m. Magdalen Frances W. 26 June 1785 f.M.W. m.Magdalene Edward W. 25 Nov 1781 f. M.W. m. Magdalen Marland W. 10 Jun 1787 f.M.W. m. Marland Elizabeth W. 11 Apr 1783 f.M.W. m. Magdalen Washington P000971 How can I seperate the wheat from the chaff? TiA Mick Elizabeth

I'm not sure I follow everything above, but Maudling/Maudlin and Magdalen(e) are surely the same name?? Magdalene is how it's usually written and Maudlin is how it's pronounced.............so if a vicar was writing phonetically......... Apologies if that's not what you are talking about! Merry

I agree with Merry MICHAEL WILLIS Marriages: Spouse: MAGDALINE HUTCHINSON Family Marriage: 08 NOV 1779 Lanchester, Durham, England Batch No.: M000651

Thanks Merry I'd sussed out the spelling/pronunciation of M. but there are two Michaels 1795/1797 m.Magdalen & Maudlin respectively, which makes me think that possibly at least two families are there. Am I being too picky?

Very important to have a son to carry on the father's name, so when one died they gave another the same name.

No age but looks a likely candidate NBI Northumberland & Durham Parish Chester le Street, St. Mary & St. Cuthbert, DUR Buried 9/07/1796 Name Michael WILLIS aged – Abode Pelton Fell Occupation –

Agreed But it's the 1795 Michael that features in my tree. At least according to the censuses. Mick

By 1851 (1841 is rounded down to nearest 5 years) Michael would have been guessing how old he was. Birthdays weren't important then so people forgot when they were born. You're lucky it was only a couple of years out, I've known the Census age to be up to 20 years wrong.

Thanks Helen I'd missed the NBI. Pelton rings a bell, But are the censuses consistently wrong? Mick

Thanks again, Helen Is there any way of expanding on the NBI info.?

When I'm searching the Census I allow +/- 2 years for under tens, +/- 5 for people up to, say 30, then go for +/- 10 after that. Once the people are in their 70s or 80s you may have to allow 20 years. You will find some families always get the ages spot on and others vary wildly. Depends on how numerate they were. All part of the fun LOL. I use www.familyhistoryonline.net for my NBI searches. You can buy as little as £5 worth of credits and they last 6 months. Searches are free, results that you wish to view cost about 7p so it's quite cheap.

Thanks to all for their help. I think that I can, provisionally, add to my tree, and carry on searching. Mick