Genealogy Chat

if a lady was born in 1794 do you think its possible she is the mother of a child born 1849 and another born 1852 as on the 1871 census she is wife of the head and there are 4 children with them 2 sons and 2 daughters born 1819 1824 1849 1852 I can accept the first two but wondering about the second two , there is also a Grandson and Nephew with them do you think its an error , as she would have to have been 55 and 58 when they were born

more likely to be grand kids i'd have said , but you never know

Pushing it a bit Val, isnt it. Have you got her children on an earlier census so you can try to tie the kids in with them anywhere?

Could be the daughters children, she has taken as her own so they are not illigitimate. Sue

thanks Jess and Heather these two children dont appear on the previous census no ,so maybe you are right and they are grandchildren then thanks for your replies sometimes cannot see the wood for the trees.

ooh Susan thats a thought too, as I have noticed her daughters arent married

Have you followed the children through to another census. I found a case where grandma had registered a baby as her own but later on one of her son's had become head of household and the relationship changed to nephew. Also look for a maternal death about the time of youngest child's birth in case grandma was bringing the children up as her own.

no I hadnt done that Annie, just found this lot so have not got too far will do that thanks a lot

Have you tracked the family back in previous census? She could be a 2nd wife and the children could be from the head's previous marriage.

its definitely the same man and wife right through thanks Gwyneth

Maybe she had IVF. ;-)

Hi Valerie, I would say they are grandchildren It was fairly common even up to recent times for mother and unmarried daughter to go away for a period of time then return with mum having miraculously had a baby. Even though everyone probably guessed the reality of the situation it gave a sense of legitamcy so no one was bothered. The likelyhood of someone in their late 50s concieving in those days was slim to none Regards Tania

Paul could be !!!!! , Tania yes I am beginning to realise that too thanks.

I have an ancestor born around then. On one census she's shown with 'step children' when I know from family papers they were her grandchildren. Can't always accept these census's as A1 correct I'm afraid. Had I not known she had remarried it would have made no sense at all.

I am trying to work out who's children they were, which daughter had them ??? its not so easy if you cannot find them on all the census records, but I will eventually thanks for all suggestions