Direct ancestor immigration success story.

[LondonLover1982]

Hi

My 3xgreat grandfather was Thomas Musgrave born in 1827 in Darlington, Durham. He wed Ann Stuart in 1851 and they had Elizabeth Musgrave born 23rd April 1852, George born 1856, Thomas in 1857, William in 1860, Edwrad in 1864, Mary in 1869 and Margaret born 1st March 1871 in Coundon and Auckland Durham.

Thomas's wife Ann died on the 30th December 1885 in Tanfield, Durham. It appears that Thomas emigrated shortly afterwards with his youngest daughter Margaret. I think Thomas was back in England for a short while in 1891 as he is a lodger with the Riley family in Auckland but I think that was because his grandson George was born in March 1891 and he probably returned for that.

I have tried and failed to find a relevant death in England for ages. I cross referenced and checked all Thomas Musgrave deaths after 1891 to no avail. So out of curiosity I was looking at the 1900 US Federal census and my ears pricked up when I found a Thomas Musgrave aged 72, born England living in North Fayette, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, born December 1827 and my Thomas was baptised 23 December 1827. That US census gives month and year of birth. I viewed the original entry and I found he was with his son in law Robert Sutherland born Mar 1859 and his wife Elizabeth born April 1852. This tied in with my Thomas's daughter Elizabeth's birth. Her first husband was Robert Wilson whom she wed in Durham in 1870. In the 1900 US census a Mary Ellen Wilson was with them born Oct 1884 and Roberts stepdaughter. Elizabeth had emigrated in about 1881.

Thomas Musgrave said he had been in America for 13 years so he had emigrated about 1887. I then found that a Margaret Musgrave wed a Thomas Prosser in 1889 in Allegheny, PA and I found her on the 1900 census in Carnegie, Allegheny and she said she was born March 1871 in England which tied in with my Thomas daughter Margarets month and year of birth and her years in the US matched that of Thomas Musgraves. I was onto a winner. That explained why I couldn't find a death for him in England. He had emigrated.

I found a Thomas and Margaret Musgrave on the Philadelphia incoming passenger lists who arrived on the Lord Gough in September 1886. This was 8 months after Thomas's wife died and it ties in with the amount of years he was in the US by June 1900 when the census was taken. If he had grown up children in America and England it is no wonder why he may have made the odd trip back to England to visit children and grandchildren there. I think he emigrated to make a new start or his daughter offered him to go out there and live with her. I cannot find him on the 1910 US census so he must have died inbetween 1900 and 1910 in PA.

The 1900 census was a goldmine and proved that he had emigrated explaining a lot of things.

Ben

[MarkCDodd]

If a Social Security death doesn't pop up then he was probably never a citizen.

Usually on the census form it tells you their citizenship status.

It is so much easier to find thier death if they were a citizen.

[LondonLover1982]

I think it says he was not naturalised. I will have to try local records such as burial record or obituaries or write to the PA archives.

[dianel]

Great story, Ben!

[LondonLover1982]

Hi

Yes I am elated. I am well pleased. Censuses are very good and track someones movement. I actually have a direct ancestor on a US historical record which is the 1900 US census.

His wife died in December 1885 and he emigrated shortly after. Probably had enough of England and wanted to start afresh abroad even though he would pop back on occasions like several immigrants did if they had grown up children back in their homeland or just wanted to visit. It was a lot easier if you just emigrated to the US from the UK or Europe as it was a lot nearer whereas Australia it was 4 times the distance.

A lot of people say their immigrant ancestors sometimes made a visit back to their homeland.

Ben