Hi Jeffrey, since your last name is Wheatley I take it you know Minnie Smith married William Wheatley in 1888 Vol 10a pg 515. Perhaps that mentions her parents. On the 1881 census as you mentioned Minnie was shown as a 10 year niece of Henry Estell and his wife Elizabeth. I found Henry now a widower on the 1901 census with William and Minnie. I also found Henry & Elizabeth on 1861, have not found them yet on the 1851 but found Henry son of Jacob and Jemima Estell in the 1841. I found Henry and Elizabeth Estell in the 1870 United States Federal Census in North Ward St Clair Schuylkill Pennsylvania Henry Estell 39 M W Coal Miner England Elizabeth Estell 34 F W Keeping House England Maggie Williams 16 F W Dom Servant Pa so perhaps Minnie was born in Pennsylvania. Maybe finding the connection of Henry Estell as an uncle could be a clue. Hope this helps. Jackie Ingrid Clausen wrote: >Hi Jeffrey, > > > >>I've got a relative called Minnie Odell Smith who according to the 1881 >> >> >Census was born in "America BS" around 1870/71. > > > >>Am I correct in assuming that this means that although she was born in >> >> >America, she was also a British Subject?? > >Yes. It is a common abbreviation for British Subject. In this particular >case the 1881 census image with Minnie Ordell Smith in Tudhoe, Durham >actually says British subject and this must have been abbreviated for the >census index. > > > >>Also, can anyone assist by telling me where I might get details of the >> >> >birth?? > >Hopefully one of the list members from the US will be able to help with this >part of your query. However, it might be a good idea to check later census >years (1891 & 1901) to see if they give any more information about where in >America she was born - you might be lucky. I can also recall an instance >where in one census year someone was said to be born in "America" and then >it subsequently transpired that he was born in Canada. > >Did Minnie Ordell Smith marry? Do you have her father's name from the >marriage certificate? This might also help. Any information about her >husband and children (if any) would also assist with a English census search >in 1891 and 1901, assuming that she remained in England. > >Good luck, > >Ingrid > > > ==== DUR-NBL Mailing List ==== >To Post a message to this list send it to, >DUR-NBL-L@rootsweb.com > >==== DUR-NBL Mailing List ==== >List Web Page >http://www.communigate.co.uk/ne/durhamgenealogy/index.phtml > >------------------------------- >To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to DUR-NBL-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > >