Emma Adamthwaite – a continuation, which answers some questions ……

….. and raises others

Research and report by Ann, a member of the OLIVE line and descended from Emma's aunt

 

Following her marriage to James Raynes in 1840 James and Emma are still, according to the 1841 census, living with her mother and brother at Sculcoates, near Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire.  They are next found in London in 1845. 

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Christ Church, Camberwell, Surrey 

Baptism  February 2nd 1845 – James Edwin Raynes (born December 22nd 1844) son of James and Emma Raynes, Alexander Street, Old Kent Road.  Father – commercial clerk.

 

Church of St Mary, Rotherhithe, Surrey

Baptism April 28th 1847 – William Adamthwaite Raynes (born December 31st 1846) son of James and Emma Raynes, Claremont Place.  Father – timber merchant.

 

Emma’s mother, Sarah, died in Rotherhithe in 1846.  William, her father, died at West Stockwith, Nottinghamshire in May, 1849 and Emma Raynes was present at the death.  She next appears (July, 1850) in Kenosha, Wisconsin, USA …….. but I can find no evidence of the death of James Raynes or of a marriage between Emma Raynes and James R. Browne.  Neither can I find James, Emma or the two boys on any ship’s passenger list under the surname Browne, Raynes or Adamthwaite.

 

United States Federal Census 1850  Ward 2, Kenosha, Wisconsin.  15th  July, 1850.

J. R. Brown, age 34, Painter , born England

Emma   Brown,  29, born England

James E   Brown, 5, born England

William A  Brown, 3, born England  

 

The two children should have the name ‘Raynes’ but have taken the name ‘Brown’ on their mother’s (?) re-marriage.  

 

United States Federal Census 1860  Ward 3, Racine, Wisconsin.  5th July, 1860.

James R Brown, age 40, Painter , born England

Emma   Brown,  36, born England

James E  Brown, 15, News boy, born England

William A   “Brown, 13, born England

Emma F  Brown,  9, born  Wisconsin

John F  Brown, 7, born Wisconsin

Anna  Brown, 4, born Wisconsin

Mary  Brown, 1, born Wisconsin

 

Emma died on 5th July 1863 and James then married Mrs. Penelope B Forrest who appears in the next (1870) census.

 

United States Federal Census 1870  Ward 6, Racine, Wisconsin.  7th July, 1870

James Brown, age 53, Painter,  born England

Penelope Brown, 55, born Ireland

Emily  Brown, 20, born  Wisconsin    

Anna  Brown, 14, born Wisconsin

Mary Brown, 11, born Wisconsin

Marshall Forrest, 13, born Wisconsin

 

No sign of James E, William A or John F.  I assumed that Marshall was the son of Penelope, but in the next (1880) census he is down as ‘grandson’, but as his mother was born in Ireland that must mean ‘step son’.  Also interesting that James senior goes from ‘Painter’ to ‘City treasurer’ in one leap!

 

United States Federal Census 1880 10th Street West, Ward 8, Racine.  13th June, 1880.

James  R  Browne, Head, age 64, City Treasurer, b. England – parents b. England  

Penelope B  Browne, wife, 64, b   Ireland   -  parents b. England                  

Mary A  Brown, dau, 21, b  Wisconsin  -  parents b. England                

Marshall Forrest, g/son, 23, Painter , b Wisconsin,  father b. ----- mother b Ireland

Charles Townson, g/son, 11, b  Missouri  –  father b. Wisconsin -  mother b Germany

W .A. Browne , Head, 33, Painter, b. England  –  parents b. England

Addie  B   Browne,  wife, 33, b Wisconsin – parents b .New York

Robert E.  Browne, son, 4,  b Wisconsin – parents b .New York

 

The Federal Census for 1890 was largely destroyed by fire and in 1900 there are too many ‘Browns’ with the same first names or initials – plus the fact that the original images are virtually illegible ……. so the threads are lost.  

 

One or two questions are raised by all this:

 

Firstly the name change from Raynes to Brown.  I can find no evidence of a death of James Raynes between 1846 and 1850 – neither can I find a marriage between Emma and James R Brown.   The family don’t seem to be on any ships’ passenger list – did they travel under assumed names?  If so, why?

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In what appears to be an obituary for James R Brown it says ‘took for his first wife Emma Adamthwaite of Westmoreland’ (sic).  Surely he should have taken Emma Raynes.  Could the ‘R’ in his name be for Raynes – although he did have a grandson (1880 census) called Robert.

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So are James RAYNES and James R Brown the same person??

 

Finally, I have a suspicion about a possible factor  Emma and James left the country very rapidly after the death of Rev. William Adamthwaite – he died in May 1849 and by the following July they were in Wisconsin.  Could that be anything to do with the codicil to his will?  Did Edwin chase her across the Atlantic to try and sort out some jiggery-pokery that was to his disadvantage?

 

 

NEW! I have recently been contacted by John, who has been able to answer some of the questions above. It seems from his very detailed 1899 death record issued in Racine, Wisconsin that Emma's husband James Robert BROWN was indeed the same person as James R RAYNES (though why he changed his surname to Brown is still a mystery).  The death record confirms that James BROWN's parents were Jeremiah and Ruth, and that he was born in Nottinghamshire in 1815.

 

[Misterton parish registers show a James RAYNES baptised on 20 sep 1815, son of Jeremiah and Ruth RAYNES]