Genealogy Chat

Christopher :-( Thanks anyway for your help. Janet Thank you for that. I know my Chowns originated in Oxfordshire, but the Northants lot could be connected. nell

Nell Are you aware that back in the 1700's there are many Chowns in the Northants area? I know that some of my ancestors strayed into Bucks from Northants whilst working for the Spencer family in the 1700's. Maybe worth checking the 1841 in Northants if they are missing in Bucks. I have come across many Chowns whilst researching my own tree in Northants. Janet

Yes, I am having a bit of a job disentangling the various Chowns in the Chilterns! Christopher Could I trespass on your good nature for another look up? the informant on John William's death cert is HANNAH CRANE. I can't find her on the 1851 Bucks census on Family History Online, could you see if you can find her in 1841. She gives her address on the cert as Salt Hill, Farnham. Salt Hill appears to be on the outskirts of Slough. nell

Christopher Thank you very much for those. I will order the birth cert and see if it sheds any further light on this murky corner. nell

Not absolutely sure (someone will no doubt correct me) but aren't the ages rounded down. This might mean one of the 20 year olds could be the one Nell is looking for. Kath. x

Chris Please give me the details. I am agog! Brenda thanks, you've given me some food for thought. I will order the birth cert and see what it says. As for Robert, I don't know when he went into the workhouse - its actually called a Hospital on the 1851 census, but he is listed as an almsman rather than an inmate/patient, so I presume he was in receipt of alms (ie poor). Can't find his death at all. He isn't listed as deceased on Ann's marriage cert, but of course that means nothing. I know Ann had a lot of elder sisters but have only found a marriage for one so far. I suppose she could have stayed with one of them. nell

I didn't intend to kill a fellow GR member! All I could think of was: If it's a widowed Ann, you'd get a maiden name from the birth certificate. If she didn't register the birth, you might get another family member as informant. Unfortunately, the odds are that you'll get no more info than is on the death certificate. I wonder where she was living, though. When did your Ann's father go into the workhouse? If she was working away from home in 1841 and there was no family home for her to return to in 1850, who did she stay with?

Christopher She would be about 25. She was born 1826 in Farnham Royal and the family seem to have moved about between FR and Stoke Poges before her birth. I'd be thrilled if you could find any Ann Chowns born around either of those areas though as the one who gave birth to John Wm may not be mine! Yours gratefully nell

Brenda I was reading your message while eating and I nearly choked! I have located index to John william's birth and am thinking of getting the cert, though not sure what additional info it would give me which would help identify Ann. I think I will have to organise another trip to Aylesbury to look in the registers. I know John and William are common names and have several John Williams in my tree, but John William was also the name of Ann's eldest brother, who died before she was born, which makes me think it could be her. Just wish I could find her in 1841/51. nell

Are these answers you don't want to hear, Nell? 1. Look for the baptism of John 2. Look for the birth of John 3. Look for the baptism of any other Ann who might feasibly be the mother 4. Look in the workhouse for any Chowns. 5. Check there aren't any burials of Ann Chowns. 6. Check there aren't any marriages of male Chowns to Anns. A skeleton has probably just popped out of your closet, but until you have eliminated the possibility of another Ann you are stuck with it. What a pity she wasn't called Jeuella!

Where was John William born? If you knew that and could also find a baptism entry it might give enough clues to link the Anns.

My great great grandmother ANN CHOWNS was born and baptised in Farnham Royal, Buckinghamshire in 1826. [info from Family Bible & parish baptism register]. She disappears from view until her marriage to John Smoothy (yes, him again!) in Kenninghton Parish church in 1858. BUT I have found a death cert for a John William Chowns in Farnham Royal (I was actually looking for Ann's father Robert's death). Curious and feeling sure he must be some kind of connection (I know Robert's brother John also lived in FR) I sent off for it and it came today. John William Chowns lived only 7 weeks and died in 1850. His death cert does not have a father, just a mother, who is ANN CHOWNS. Now I believe this MIGHT be my gt gt grandmother, but am unsure how I can prove this. Maddeningly I don't know where she was in 1841 or 1851, but I know she wasn't in Buckinghamshire as kind people have checked for me. I am wondering whether she was in service and sent home when she was pregnant? Her mother died 1843, but her father was still alive and in Stoke Poges almshouse in 1851. Any thoughts? nell

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