Getting the wrong end of the stick with two cousins.

[LondonLover1982]

4 years ago I sent off for the birth cert of George Musgrave born Mar Qtr 1856 in Auckland district in Durham. I though it was of my ancestor George the son of Thomas and Ann Musgrave born Evenwood, Durham in 1856. My George was baptised 5th April 1856 son of Thomas and Ann Musgrave. George is on the 1861 and 1871 census as Thomas and Ann's son and says Thomas was his father on his 1876 marriage.

The birth cert said George was born in Evenwood, 5th March 1856 but son of Robert Musgrave and Jane Musgrave formerly Ramage registered 7th March 1856 two days afterwards. Robert was Thomas's brother. I was shocked as I couldn't find another George Musgrave/Musgrove born 1855-1856 in Auckland district. I then thought of the massive assumption that George was born to Robert and Jane Musgrave and was handed over to his brother just after the birth as it was the only possible birth of a George Musgrave. Robert and Jane had wed in June 1855.

Robert and Jane's next child was born in 1857 which they kept. This bugged me for 2 years until early 2008.

In February 2008 I noticed the death of a George Musgrave in Auckland district in Mar Qtr 1860. I then sent off for it. That is when I found the truth. I opened it and it said he was aged 3 years old and son of Robert Musgrave a coal miner of New Rows, Coundon. Jane Musgrave registered the death. The 1861 census lists Robert and Jane at the same address. That is when it occurred to me that there were two George Musgraves born around the same time as each other in the same village and they were cousins. One birth was registered and one wasn't, one died and one didn't. In 1856 birth registration was not yet properly enforced.

I viewed the baptism of George Musgrave on the 5th April 1856 and both George's were baptised on the same day. George Musgrave, son of Thomas and Ann Musgrave a pitman and George Musgrave son of Robert and Jane Musgrave a pitman. George son of Robert was buried in Coundon in January 1860 aged 3.

I am so glad the truth was revealed and that Thomas and Ann Musgrave were George's natural parents and not Robert and Jane and that both couples had a son born at the same time whom they named George, and Roberts one died in 1860. I wonder why Thomas and Ann didn't register their George though? perhaps they never got round to it or couldn't be bothered. They registered their other childrens births. Thomas and Ann's previous child was born in May 1854 and the following one in August 1857.

Thomas Musgrave was the one who emigrated to America in 1886 when Ann died.

That shows how easy it is to get mislead with two people born a the same time of the same name.

Ben

[MarkCDodd]

Tell me about it. The Cutlers in Halesowen have almost sent me loopy.

Generation after generation of the same given names with no middle names all within a few kilometers of each other and sometimes appearing on each other's census and.....

Aaaaarrrrghhhhhhhhh!

I think I need to see my therapist again.

[grangers14]

Well thankgoodness you followed the search through!
Its easy to jump to conclusions.
Jo

[LondonLover1982]

There have been many, many times when two cousins were born within days of each other and both given the same names and baptised on the same day. It can lead you on a merry dance.