Genealogy Forum UK

Hi,

I am currently searching for information on my 4th Great Grandfather, James Priest who was born in 1848 in Rowley Regis to James Priest and Martha Kendrick.
He marries at Lye, Worcestershire in 1869 to my 4th Great Grandmother, Sarah Ann Parsons, daughter of John Parsons and Hannah Worton. His appearance on the 1871 census describes his occupation as a Chainmaker and lives in "Lyes Green" which I believe is an error made by the enumerator as there is Lyde Green in Cradley but not a Lyes Green. He has one son at that time, also called James Priest. James was a name held in the Priest family right up until 1924, when my Great Granddad, who died in 2013, was born to James Priest's (b.1848) grandson, James Priest (1902-1969).
He appears on the 1881 census as a Chain Maker again, living at 47 New Street, Cradley. He has a further 5 children, there was James (1869, who appeared on the 1871 census), Martha (1872-1911), Benjamin (1877), William (1879) and Hannah (1881). But after the 1881 census, he just vanishes. No trace of him whatsoever. His wife, Sarah Ann, remarries on the 11th May 1884 to William Charles Lawrence, a labourer and describes herself as a widow. However, I am unable to find a death record for him, or even find him on the census in the UK.
Sarah Ann has a further 3 children, Thomas Edward Lawrence (1886-1961), Henry James Lawrence (1889) and Bert (1891-1974). William Charles dies in 1905, with Sarah following him in 1921.
I was wondering if anyone could shed any light on the subject and help me get to bottom of what happened to my 4th Great Grandfather.

Many Thanks,

Jack Fern

this looks like him

http://bcconnections.tribalpages.com/tr ... ver=346500

This could be him:

Name:
James Priest
Birth Date:
abt 1848
Birth Place:
England
Death Date:
21 Dec 1881
Death Place:
Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Age at Death:
33
Burial Date:
24 Dec 1881
Burial Place:
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Gender:
Male
Race:
White
Street address:
2517 Galway St
Residence:
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Cemetery:
Mount Moriah Cem.
Marital Status:
Married
FHL Film Number:
2057162

There is also a record on Ancestry@

Oct/ 1881
Arrival in Philadelphia:
Sarah A. PRIEST 33 wife b.Eng.
James PRIEST 10 child "
Martha PRIEST 8 child "
Benj: PRIEST 4 child "
Wm. PRIEST 2 child "


Name:
Sarah A Priest
Gender:
Female
Birth Date:
abt 1848
Port of Departure:
Liverpool, England
Arrival Date:
3 Oct 1881
Port of Arrival:
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Age on Arrival:
33
Ship:
Ohio

Looking for a return date ???

Sorry: can't find James's travel details or return date.
May not be him...just a shot in the dark....perhaps someone
on the forum can help further........sparks.

Moving to black country genealogy section

I can't see any more on the emmigration side,

1891. Lyde Green, Cradley.
William Laurance 38. General labourer. Gloucestershire.
Sarah A Laurance 42. Cradley Heath.
Martha Priest 18. Step dau. Cradley Heath.
Benjamin Priest 14. Step son. Cradley, Worcs.
William Priest 12.Step son. Cradley, Worcs.
Charles Laurance 14. Son. Gloucestershire.
Thomas Laurance 5. Son. Cradley, Worcs.
Henry Laurance 2. Son. Gloucestershire.

It certainly does seem that the Priests moved to America, everything fits apart from the return voyage, could they have been incorrectly transcribed on ancestry and we just haven't found them because of this? I am quite pleased I am getting somewhere, it must have been a tragedy for the family to moved over to America to start a new life and them have it all come crashing down with the head of the family dying 4 days before Christmas. It must have been horrible.

There are a lot of people who don't show up on the passenger lists.

Many of my family emigrated to US in the 1880s all Chainmakers... all in the Philadelphia
area. A couple came back, but most stayed.

Tumpjack

do you need anymore on this thread?
if not I will move to archived section.

would you like me to add your username to Black Country Connections then if anyone has further info
they can contact you via forum

have added some here
http://bcconnections.tribalpages.com/tr ... =518907609