Sheila McDermott's Brick Wall
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My brick wall
revolves around the details I have for a James Myerscough, born
5th April 1874 in Salthouse Road Barrow, the son of Thomas & Selina (nee
Walker) Myerscough. His grandfather was James Myerscough, a master mariner and
his grandmother was Elizabeth Howarth.
He was in the army in the Royal Irish Rifles, 83rd Regiment, stationed in
Ireland and India and met and married Esther Weaver possibly in India.
I don't have a marriage certificate but on his demobilization papers from the
Army in 1912, he states that his wife is Esther Myerscough, living at Glasgow
Street, Barrow in Furness.
They had a number of children born in
Ireland and India and one in Barrow.
Their first child, Esther M was born in India in 1898, Thomas J was born
in Belfast in 1900, Cecil was born in Dublin in 1903, Harold H was born in India
in 1905, George Haworth was born in India in 1906, and Kathleen was born in
Belfast in 1909 . (The Haworth in some of the children's name comes from
their Grandmother Elizabeth Haworth).
James came out of the army in 1912 at the age of 38, and we have the demob
papers which refer to his wife Esther living in Barrow..
We hear nothing more of James until Esther's death 29 Nov 1946, - on the death
certificate under occupation, Esther is shown as 'Wife of James Myerscough a
labourer in the shipyard' - the informant was the eldest daughter Esther M
Delaney.
Another James Myerscough now comes into the picture!!
We hear nothing of this James until he marries Helen Anderson Hogg in Longsight,
Manchester on the 27 July 1915, he is aged 36, his father is given as James
Myerscough (deceased) a master mariner and he is living in Manchester working as
a clerk.
The question arises - is this the same James, marrying bigamously? His date
of birth would be around 1879, his father has the same name and occupation as
the first James' grandfather.
James (2) had a son Robert born in Scotland in 1917.
James (2) emigrated to America on May 9th 1922 aboard the SS Caronia from
Southampton. His address is given as Rosyth, Scotland, his destination
Philadelphia USA. He travelled with his wife Helen and his son Robert aged
5
In
the US census for 1930 James Helen and Robert were living on 2115 Street, Cleveland,
Ohio.
James (2) later married a Lottie Leeper.
The
death details of James (2) show
that he died 17th September 1965 in Cleveland Heights, Cuyahoga, Ohio, aged
92. (Date of Birth 1873) The certificate shows him as married.
My problem is
that all the details above appear in the Myerscough records as one
person!!!
Do we have two James' or did James (1) commit bigamy?. The dates fit for
it being one person. It would all have made sense if the death certificate of
Esther in 1946 had not stated 'Wife of James Myerscough a labourer in the
shipyard' in the occupation column. This implies that James was still in Barrow
and had never left or was it an act of defiance by the eldest daughter to record
the fact that her father was still married to her mother - albeit he was now
living in America with his new family!
Was it coincidence that James (2) gave his father as James Myerscough (deceased)
Master Mariner, the description of James (1)'s grandfather!!!
Does anybody have any further details of either of these James' - can anybody
provide details of James (2) early life that would prove we are looking at two
people, or has anyone any details of James (1) after 1912 proving that this
James did not emigrate.?