Jack, I found your story of interest because I too have an ancestor, my paternal great grandfather who emigrated to the US in 1863 from Northern Ireland was a weaver in County Down. In 1863 a wealthy merchant by the name of A. T. Stewart (his store later became Wannamaker's) in New York City. originially from N. Ireland, chartered a ship, the "Mary Edson" to take provisions to these people in N.I. who were suffering because of the blockade--and then he gave free passage to 137 people from that area to the United States, my ggrandfather being one of them. I found my ggrandfather, his sister, his brother and brother's wife and three children on the Mary Edson's passenger list--then I Googled the Mary Edson and got the story about A.T. Stewart. Sorry I can't help you--but was interested in your story about James Ramsdell. Joan in Tucson ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jack Phelan" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, May 30, 2005 10:16 AM Subject: [ROLL CALL] Lawless/Ramsdale family. Stockport to RI > Whilst investigating my great grandmother's collection of photographs and > cross checking with various genealogical sites...I discovered an ancestor > who's existence was previously unknown to all the family. He had been born > prior to the BD&M registers and had died in the US so it was completely by > chance that I came across his Christening records...I then got his wedding > certificate and gradually his story began to unfold...I think it illustrates > perfectly the tragic lives some of our ancestors had to put up with. > > James Ramsdale was a weaver by trade as was the whole family but when the > North blockaded the South in the American Civil War and cut off the supply > of cotton to England...he and thousands of others were out of a job. He > emigrated to RI with his wife and two children. Whilst his brother Joseph > raised 8 children to adulthood, losing only two at birth and a further boy > at the age of 11,(his sisters Alice managed seven and Jane, two boys), James > was to father eight children, only two surviving beyond the age of seven. > The age sequence of his children in numerical order being 0, 1, 3, 3, 6, > 7,13 and 98! I was hoping, when I began my research, to discover some > American cousins but unfortunately that branch of the family has quite > literally died out. Alice was the last to die at the age of 98 in 1968 and > is buried in the North Burial Ground in Providence RI. If anyone on the > roll-call lives anywhere near this burial ground I would love to see a > photograph of the grave...and find out why she is in the plot of another > family. If anyone has further information I would be very interested. I have > include a time line for James...just in case anyone's interested... > > > JAMES LAWLESS RAMSDALE 1837-1900 > 1837 Born Warrington Lancashire to William Ramsdale and Jane Lawless (Jane > was born in Ireland in 1818, the daughter of Edward Lawless, a weaver). > Further information gratefully received. > 1838 January 7th Christened/parents married at St. Paul C of E Warrington > 1839 October 1st sister Alice born [Ramsdales lived at 1 Hope St Warrington] > 1840 March 29th Alice christened at St Paul > 1841 December 29th brother Joseph born > 1845 Last quarter sister Jane Bridget born > 1845 December 28th Jane B christened at St Paul > 1851 Census Ramsdales not recorded in Warrington > 1851 Census Ramsdales not recorded in Stockport > 1861 Census Ramsdales recorded living at 44 King Street West Stockport. > James, aged 23 recorded as a power loom weaver along with his father, > brother and sisters > 1861 December 29th James marries Emma Poole at the Parish Church, Heaton > Norris > 1862 Mary Jane born Heaton Norris, Stockport > 1864 William Edward born Heaton Norris > 1864-1869 Between these dates James, Emma, Mary J and William E emigrated to > USA > 1869 19th August Mary Jane died aged 7. Buried in St Phillips Episcopal > Cemetery West Warwick RI > 1870 Alice Amelia born Rhode Island USA > 1870 Census recorded with 2 children William age 8 born England, Alice A age > 1 b RI > 1871 James T and Joseph H Ramsdale born RI > 1875 July 18th Joseph H died aged 4. Buried St Phillips > 1875 Joseph A Ramsdale born > 1876 October 30th Joseph A died aged 1. Buried St Phillips > 1877 February 2nd Willie E died aged 13. Buried St Phillips > 1877 November 2nd James T died aged 4. Buried St Phillips > 1878 Walter Ramsdale born > 1880 Census Ramsdales recorded living at Warwick, Kent. RI. James L Cotton > Weaver, aged 42, Emma Keeping House aged 39, Alice A 10, At School and > Walter aged 2 both born RI > 1881 June 10th Emma Ramsdale died aged 41. Buried St Phillips > 1881 June 22nd Walter died aged 3. Buried St Phillips > 1883 George Ramsdale born / died 27th September to Sarah Jones & James L > Ramsdale > 1885 James L married Sarah Jones born 1840 > 1900 April 11th James L Ramsdale died aged 62. Buried St Phillips > 1907 August 8th Alice Amelia Ramsdale aged 37 married John Barbour [b 1863 > Scotland] > 1919 November 26th Sarah Ramsdale died aged 79. Buried St Phillips > 1920 Census Alice A and John Barbour recorded at Fall River MA. John was a > weaver in a cotton mill and immigrated in 1893. No children recorded > 1930 Census Alice A Barbour recorded as a widow, Fall River MA > 1968 October 18th Alice Amelia Barbour died aged 98. Buried in the North > Burial Ground in Providence RI > > > > > ==== IRELAND-ROLL-CALLS Mailing List ==== > To Unsubcribe from L: mailto:[email protected] > To Unsubscribe from D: mailto:[email protected] > Put the single word 'unsubscribe' in the message subject and body > >