Thanks to both Anne & Linda for doing some research on the Kirkhams. My Gr. Grandfather's name was William Kirkham. He was born 2 February 1830 in Blackburn, Eng. According to the a March 2000 copy of his first marriage record, on 15 January 1854 he married Ellen Rostrum(?) The penmanship of whomever wrote the copy is not good. William is described as a bachelor with the occupation of "moulder". In the States that would be similar to a tool & die man, I believe. His father's name is listed as Benjamin and Benjamin's occupation is give as Labourer. Ellen's parents are not listed. The wedding was performed in the parish church parish of Blackburn. Is this now the Cathedral Church of St. Mary? Sometime after 1856, Ellen must have died because on 30 September 1860 William Kirkham married Jane Ormerod at St. Mark's, Witton. Jane was born 8 January 1833. Her father was Thomas Ormerod and her mother Nancy Sumner. I can find this family on the 1851 census. Nancy Sumner was descended from Samuel Crompton who invented the Spinning Mule. This descent gave rise to a story in my family about a large estate Due us in Chancery that Jane Ormerod went back to try and collect. Only the facts had been corrupted so that by the time I heard it, the fortune was the result of a wealthy daughter being disinherited after eloping with a groom on the estate. Who knows, but I certainly can't find any record of a wealthy daughter or poor groom in the genealogy. Thought you might enjoy the legend. Kent Kirkham

Kent, Was it your great grandfather, William Kirkham, and his second wife Jane Ormerod, who emigrated to America? When did they emigrate, or what is the first date that you know that they were in America? I wondered whether they had any children who might have been baptised in England, or whether just the two of them went to America. Anne