In a message dated 02/12/2009 17:35:01 GMT Standard Time, christelhelen@yahoo.co.uk writes: I have a Newark Michael Attis (son of Hugh and Sarah) born 11 jan 1773, baptised 26 Sep that year. He is an elder brother to the Hugh Attis who is the father of the Thomas Aittis I asked about previously ... I have been trying to join up this branch of the family to one I have managed to piece together which includes a Michael Attis who married Margaret Clark in 1795; 1841 and 1851 census puts his year of birth around 1771, death at 1855. Christel: Both census ages and ages as reported at death are notoriously unreliable, so a two-year difference could be readily acceptable, all other things being equal, as they say. However, before committing myself, I - and I would expect most other subscribers to this list - would want to have some other background information, to see whether what you suggest sounds likely, or plausible. Where, for instance, did these events take place? What were the occupations in each case? These should all be part of the "mix" that helps us decide what really happened. You also don't mention whether they were from the sort of families that were likely to (a) leave Wills and (b) be commemorated by a gravestone in their local churchyard, nor whether, if that is the case, you have checked on either. Again, if Wills and stones are likely to exist they should at least have been looked for, as they might well yeild the very clue that would answer your questions. Geoff Nicholson

Dear Geoff Yes you are quite right, I left out a lot of stuff because I was wary of writing a really long email that was unclear and lost it's point. The Attis family were mainly in Sunderland and later in Houghton le Spring area (Penshaw); unfortunately, I haven't seen transcripts of all the censuses (only indexes for 1841 and 1851) so I don't have occupations for everyone only dates/places of birth; where I have information on occupation it is usually cordwainer/shoe-maker (sometimes with employees, so I suppose relatively well-off family), but also a "block and mast maker" I have not found wills on National Archive website, didn't know where else to look. Since you have mentioned Monumental Inscriptions I have emailed a lady who is named on the Durham Look-up Exchange, and hopefully she can help. I've also contacted the other subscriber who say they have Michael and Margaret in their tree, so between us we may work it out. I'm still learning all this, so any other tips you have I am willing to learn .... Christel --- On Wed, 2/12/09, NEGenealogy@aol.com <NEGenealogy@aol.com> wrote: > From: NEGenealogy@aol.com <NEGenealogy@aol.com> > Subject: Re: [NMB] (Newark) Michael Attis > To: northumbria@rootsweb.com > Date: Wednesday, 2 December, 2009, 18:23 > > >             Both  census > ages and ages as reported at death are notoriously > unreliable, so a  two-year difference could be readily > acceptable, all > other things being equal,  as they say.  However, > before committing myself, I - > and I would expect  most other subscribers to this > list - would want to have > some other background  information, to see whether > what you suggest sounds > likely, or plausible.   Where, for instance, > did these events take place?  > What were the  occupations in each case?  These > should all be part of the > "mix" that helps  us decide what really > happened.  You also don't mention > whether they were  from the sort of families that were > likely to (a) leave Wills > and (b) be  commemorated by a gravestone in their > local churchyard, nor > whether, if that is  the case, you have checked on > either.  Again, if Wills and > stones are  likely to exist they should at least have > been looked for, as > they might well  yeild the very clue that would answer > your questions. > >                 >                 >                 >                 > Geoff  > Nicholson > > > > The NORTHUMBRIA FAQ page is located at http://www.bpears.org.uk/NorthumbriaFAQ/ > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to NORTHUMBRIA-request@rootsweb.com > with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the > subject and the body of the message >