52 ANCESTORS, 52 THEMES: No 8, "Good Deeds?" - Thomas WHITEHOUSE 1829-1909

This year's challenge by Amy Crow is another weekly blog, but based on Themes. Last week, it was LOVE.  This No. 8 week's theme is GOOD DEEDS.  Well that was a bust - I couldn't think of, or find a story involving good deeds.  Sigh.  I'll just pick someone and move on, writing about my somewhat challenging ancestors!  

I have been digging through the collateral relationships of my BUNN & WHITEHOUSE ancestors, hoping for nuggets. My father's mother was a BUNN, and her mother was a WHITEHOUSE. An English acquaintance snorted on finding they lived in Dudley region: "If you throw a rock in that area you'll hit a Bunn, and if you throw three rocks you'll hit a Whitehouse".  Hmmm.  Sounds challenging to find my particular ancestors, doesn't it?! 

Let's look at Thomas WHITEHOUSE, my 2nd great-grandfather. As far as I can be certain, he was born 10 Jul 1829 in Rowley Regis, Staffordshire, but moved to Dudley (which was very near!) as a young man.  Although we know from his marriage and birth records that he had a father Joseph, and a mother Mary, I am not at all sure of his parents and siblings. Too many similar names in the same parish and region.

Thomas married for the first time in approximately 1851 to a Sarah (unknown). I have not requested this marriage certificate as yet. Unfortunately she appears to have died within 2 years, perhaps by illness or through childbirth complications.  

In Dudley Worcester on 31 Aug 1856, Thomas married a young widow with a daughter, Sarah PRICE, (previously married to Thomas Shutt).  I have the Marriage Certificate for the couple, plus the birth record for their 2nd child, Sarah Elizabeth, my ancestor.  It was rather disconcerting to realize that Thomas married two women named Sarah, and Sarah married two men named Thomas. 

Thomas WHITEHOUSE, b. 10 July 1829, Rowley Regis, Staffordshire, married 31 Aug 1856 to his 2nd wife, Sarah PRICE, (previously married to Thomas Shutt), b. abt 1827. They had the following children (Sarah's daughter Nancy "Ann" used the surname Whitehouse in Censuses):
  1.  Nancy "Ann" (Shutt), b. Jun 1853 Netherton; m. "?Homer" (no records found to date)
  2.  Sarah Elizabeth, [ancestor], b. 7 Nov 1858 Dudley, d. 30 Sep 1928, Barrow; m. 18 Aug 1879 to George BUNN; 9 children
  3.  Thomas jr., b. Dec 1860 Dudley; d. as infant
  4.  Benjamin "Ben", b. Mar 1867; m. 1890 to Margaret "Maggie" (?Milray); 1 son known (William)
  5.  Henry, b. 1869; m. 1889 in Barrow to Martha (unknown); 1 daughter known (Blanche)
  6.  William "Billy", b. 1871; m. 3rd Q 1889, Florence "Florrie" Milray; 4 boys
  7.  Enoch, b. 1875; no other information added as yet.

I've only just realized while typing this list that there are about 6 years between #3 and #4 child, and I'm wondering if there was another child born in that time. Sometimes one needs to look with fresh eyes at the known details to see the unknown details! 

Thomas worked in iron foundries most of his working life as a "Furnace Man," as can be found on Censuses, in the "Black Midlands" - first in Dudley area, then up north in Barrow.  The family moved from Dudley/Netherton area in Worcester up to Barrow-in-Furness, at some point after 1881. Thomas, Sarah, Ben & new wife Margaret, William and Enoch are seen on the 1891 Census living at 39 Byron Street. Nancy and Sarah Elizabeth were out of the home at this, married.

At about the same time, just before 1881, my GILLESPIE family moved to Barrow from Northern Ireland, so clearly there was good work prospects in Barrow at this time. 

I don't have full death dates for either Thomas & Sarah WHITEHOUSE, although I can see Sarah died in Barrow in the 4th Q 1895.  On the 1901 Census in Barrow, Thomas is found, widowed, living with his middle son, Ben & wife Margaret, with their only son William.  

Thomas died in the 3rd Q 1909, aged 80 years.  I'm assuming he's buried in Barrow, but some of the headstones are missing, and I haven't found records of his burial to date.

With more digging in Parish Registers and other records, I may yet get more specific details on Thomas, the Whitehouse children, and also manage to specify Thomas' parents and siblings. 

If you have more information to share please do not hesitate to contact me via calewis at telus dot net, or in the comments below.  NOTE: my blog is not allowing me to do replies to comments at the moment.  Thank you so much for visiting! \

SURNAME SATURDAY: Joseph WHITEHOUSE 1793-1844

Joseph WHITEHOUSE, my 3rd great-grandfather, was born in the Rowley Regis area, Staffordshire, England.  He was apparently born about 1793, according to various Census records, but no parish register has yet been found for his birth. Joseph's parents are unknown at this time.

A marriage has been tentatively used for him, but has not yet been accepted as proven.  For the purposes of future research, his first child Samuel was christened in St. Thomas church in Dudley, Staffordshire; his mother was listed as Mary.  He apparently married 17 March 1822 to Mary GROVES, in Dudley, where the family apparently settled.  Dudley was a large area, and inhabitants often stated Dudley on forms when they actually lived in Rowley Regis and other small hamlets in the surrounding area.

Joseph worked first as a Nailer (nail-maker) and later as a Miner.  This occupation information shows up on baptism records of his first sons, then on the marriage registration of my direct ancestor Thomas WHITEHOUSE, the 4th son of Joseph and Mary, seen above. You will notice his son's marriage register records Joseph as "Dead" at the time, 1856.

The Black Midlands had many mines, iron foundaries, and steel mills in the region, as it was very rich in coal and iron.  The men and older boys experienced amazingly hard unhealthy work here in the mines and in the nail-making industry (the latter often done as a home based job, and others in the family would also help, in order to supplement the family income).

He and his wife, Mary, had 7 boys for whom I have found christening records (all at St. Thomas Church):  ** indicates my direct ancestor
  - Samuel  b. 23 Oct 1822    m. Johana, at least 2 boys
  - Benjamin  b. 11 Aug 1824   no marr. found to date
  - Henry  b. 5 Jul 1827     m. Jane Price, 3 boys, 1 girl
  - **Thomas  b. 10 Jul 1829   m. twice; Sarah PRICE Shutt (wid), 5 boys, 1 girl
  - Eli   b. 18 Mar 1832    m. Mary Ann Homer,  4 boys, 4 girls
  - John  b. 18 Jun 1834   no marr. found to date
  - Enoch  b. 9 Jul 1836  m. Esther Carter,  4 boys, 1 girl

I have not yet been able to find Joseph WHITEHOUSE on the 1841 UK Census for either Staffordshire or Worcestershire.  So far I've checked with all 7 of the children, and there are several possibilities and more ways of searching of course.  Perhaps I'll find him mistranscribed after I go through more Censuses page by page.

Joseph died 16 Mar 1844 in Dudley, Staffordshire, and was buried 21 Mar 1844 through St. Thomas Church (burial record with death date).  Note that St. Thomas Church is in the parish of Worcestershire due to historical decisions.  His wife Mary is shown with various groupings of the younger boys in the following Censuses, living later with her married sons, Eli and then Enoch, after they were married.

My goal for this year is to continue searching in the WHITEHOUSE line.  My research log has many possible records still to check online, as well as possible correspondence to write for additional details.   Maybe I'll find a snippet or two here and there to fill out our history.  25 grandchildren - that I know of - lived to continue Joseph's heritage in Canada, Washington State, and England.

And if you have any information on any of these people, please do not hesitate to contact me by either leaving a comment below, or emailing me at calewis at telus dot net.  Thanks for dropping by.