Research Interests: Smith: Edward Smith DOB 1853, Patrick Smith DOB 1831 in Dublin Ricketts: Ruth 1859 - 1937, William Rickets 1795 - 1871, John Ricketts DOB 1757 Tancred: Rosannah Tancred 1833 Dublin - 1896 Walsall Higgs: Margaret married to John Ricketts Bickerton: Levi Bickerton DOB bef 1850 Stich: Ann Stich married to Levi Bickerton With the help of a cousin (really based almost 100% on her creativity and ingeniousness) we have been tracing my grandfather's family and ancestors. My grandfather was Thomas Henry Smith, but after he left England for the United State he used his stepfather's name Rownes. My mother's entire family included Thomas's wife NEVER knew that his biological father's name was Smith. Thomas, was born in Bradford, Bowling, York on Feb. 12, 1887. He left for the US aboard the Empress of Britain on 5th Sept. 1907 bound for Quebec. Thomas's father was Edward Smith. His mother was Ruth Ricketts. Edward's father was Patrick who came from Dublin, Ireland. We think that Thomas left for the US because he had an altercation with his stepfather. We've been trying to find a way to search for a news article or police report to see if there were any such altercations noted in the press in or around Wolverhampton at that time. We've heard that he left for the US after a violent fight ended very badly. We don't know. We also think he left using a program offered by a Canadian coal mining company recruiting miners for their Glace Bay coal mining operations.

Hello all, > Subject: [Black Country] Roll Call - My 4xGt grandfather Simeon EDGE was baptised on 9th February 1783 at Bloxwich son of Timothy Edge and Susannah Blews - his details can be found at http://www.gencircles.com/users/pjrich/2/data/2027 - names in his Ancestry include BLEWS and WORRAM as well as Edge. His wife was Sarah PERRY http://www.gencircles.com/users/pjrich/2/data/2026. My working assumption is that she was the daughter of Humphrey PERRY and Susannah SIMPSON whose early children (including Sarah) were baptised in Walsall, but I have chosen to link Sarah to this couple as their later children were baptised in Bloxwich, which would perhaps tie in with Sarah believing Bloxwich to be her birthplace (the 1851 and 1861 censii refer). In later years Humphrey and Susannah lived at Essington - Susannah being there with her eldest son, Humphrey, in 1841. As I am still looking for proof positive I have not put all the detail on my Gencircles page but it is as follows: 1. Humphrey PERRY was born in 1757 (approx.). He married Susannah SIMPSON on 17 December 1777 in Walsall, Staffordshire.(*1) The address was: St Matthews. By banns, witnesses Joseph CASE, John SMITH. Humphrey died in 1835. He was buried on 7 March 1835 in Bloxwich, Staffordshire. of Essington. Susannah SIMPSON was born in 1753 (approx.). She died in 1843. She was buried on 4 March 1843 in Bloxwich, Staffordshire. of Essington. She and Humphrey PERRY had the following children: 2 Sarah PERRY (1778?-aft1861). Sarah was born in 1778 (approx.) in Bloxwich, Staffordshire. She was christened on 28 September 1778 in Walsall, Staffordshire. The address was: St Matthew. She married Simeon EDGE on 13 November 1804 in Aston Juxta Birmingham, Warwickshire.(*2) The address was: St Peter & Paul. Both OTP, witnesses William DACE, Martha JONES. Sarah died after 7 April 1861. Not GRO 1861Q3 Aston, Warwickshire 6d/159. 3 Humphrey PERRY (1781?-aft1851). Humphrey was born in 1781 (approx.) in Bloxwich, Staffordshire. He was christened on 1 May 1781 in Walsall, Staffordshire. The address was: St Matthew's. He was an Awl blade maker. He died after 30 March 1851. 4 Elizabeth PERRY (1784?- ). Elizabeth was born in 1784 (approx.). She was christened on 12 April 1784 in Bloxwich, Staffordshire. 5 James PERRY (1786?-aft1851). James was born in 1786 (approx.) in Bloxwich, Staffordshire. He was christened on 23 January 1786 in Bloxwich, Staffordshire. He was a Locksmith. He died after 30 March 1851. Another possible Sarah I have been looking at is the daughter of Richard PERRY and Rachell DIXSON (married 17 May 1770, Walsall St Matthew) - this Sarah baptised 5 June 1775. A third Sarah was baptised in 1781 - daughter of Edward and Catherine. My third Bloxwich ancestor is Thomas MOORE - http://www.gencircles.com/users/pjrich/2/data/80. Thomas was a bricklayer and went where the work took him. He was baptised in Bloxwich and married in Coventry in 1822 to Christiana (sometimes referred to as Catherine) Carpenter. They had children born in Coventry, Birmingham and Bloxwich. I think that Thomas may have been Roman Catholic - certainly several of his children were baptised Roman Catholic though some had C of E baptisms as well. Christiana is a bit of a mystery. In 1861 and 1871 Thomas was living at Bilston with a wife named Mary but I have not found a death for Christiana - unless the 1873Q1 GRO record Wolverhampton 6b/420 turns out to be her. As for Thomas, his baptism (19 September 1802, Bloxwich) suggests that his parents were John and Ann - and suspect, but have no proof that he may be connected with the following people who were also Roman Catholics in the Bloxwich area 1 John MOORE (1793?-aft1851). John was born in Bloxwich or Sedgley, Staffordshire. He was a Coal miner. He was confirmed on 28 October 1810 in Bloxwich, Staffordshire. John married Mary MARSHALL on 21 August 1820 in Bloxwich, Staffordshire at St Thomas Roman Catholic. Witnesses Thomas DAVID, Martha MARTYN snr. John died after 30 March 1851. (Possibly 1861 in Walsall, Staffordshire). Children John (b.c.1821), Marianne (b.1823), Elizabeth (b.c.1825), Thomas (b.c.1827), Teresa (b.c.1829), Hellen (b.c.1831). 2 Mary MOORE (1800?-1821). Mary was born in 1800 (approx.). She died in 1821. She was buried on 31 February 1821 in Bloxwich, Staffordshire (abode Harden) 3 Joseph MOORE (1809-bef1809). Joseph was born on 10 December 1809. He was christened on 11 December 1809 at St Thomas (RC) Bloxwich, Staffordshire. Joseph died before 12 December 1809. 4 Martha MOORE ( -1810). Martha died in 1810. She was buried on 4 February 1810 in Bloxwich, Staffordshire. 5 Martha MOORE (1809-bef1809). Martha was born on 10 December 1809. She was christened on 11 December 1809 at St Thomas (RC) Bloxwich, Staffordshire. Martha died before 12 December 1809. 6 Raymund MOORE (1811-1874). Raymund was born on 23 January 1811 in Bloxwich, Staffordshire.(*3) He was christened on 3 February 1811 at St Thomas (RC), Bloxwich, Staffordshire.(abode Harden). Sponsors Robert SUTTON, Mary MARSHALL. Raymund was a Bricklayer. He married Elizabeth WOOTTON Q4 1842 in Brackley Registration District. Assumed to be GRO 1842Q4 Brackley 15/401. Raymund married Ann ? Q1 1859 in Warwick Registration District. Assumed to be GRO 1859Q1 Warwick 6d/543. Raymund died Q1 1874 in Warwick Registration District. Assumed to be GRO 1874Q1 Warwick 6d/404. 7 James MOORE (1814- ). James was born on 24 September 1814.(*3) He was christened on 2 October 1814 at St Thomas (RC) Bloxwich, Staffordshire. (abode Harden). Roman Catholic. Sponsors Richard YATES & Symphorosa YATES. I also have HALL in Great Barr - I'm not sure if that is "in region" or not, but if anybody has an interest in that name the info is at http://www.gencircles.com/users/pjrich/2/data/47 My last possible Black Country link is Elizabeth DILLORD who married John BUTCHARD at Edgbaston in 1797 - see http://www.gencircles.com/users/pjrich/2/data/3428. I do not have any positive link but a search on IGI (which I believe has most of the Birmingham parishes) turns up two possibles - both in Old Swinford. Elizabeth 1 chr 3 Dec 1775 daughter of William and Mary DILLARD Elizabeth 2 chr 13 Sep 1778 daughter of Thomas and Mary DILLARD Last time I was in Birmingham library I found a transcript of the Old Swinford register and there was an Elizabeth buried on 20th August 1776 which could be Elizabeth 1. That being so Elizabeth 2 seems the more likely. >From the above transcript I have formed a possible genealogy for both Elizabeths. Elizabeth 1 daughter of William DILLARD and Mary LOW who married 24th May 1771. There was also a William base born son of Elizabeth baptised on 9th July 1743. Elizabeth 2 daughter of Thomas DILLARD and Mary NEWBOROUGH who were married on 27th December 1770. Thomas Dillard baptised on 15 January 1743/44, son of Thomas Dillard & Rachel. Thomas baptised 28th March 1720, son of John & Elizabeth. Regards Peter