Tag: England

McAllister – Surname Saturday

McAllister Name Origin

McAllister is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic name, Mac Alasdair, meaning “son of Alasdair.” Alasdair is the Gaelic form of Alexander. There are dozens of forms for this surname. My wife’s family line has records both under McAllister and McAlister (one “l”).

Geographical

Worldwide there are approximately 52,878 people who bear the McAllister surname. The vast majority, over 38,000, in the United States, with England and Canada being distant second and third (about 6,000 and 5,000 respectively). In terms of frequency, Northern Ireland has the greatest proportion of the McAllister surname, where one in 526 people have the surname. Scotland is the second most frequent area for people surnamed McAllister.

 

My Wife’s Direct McAllister Ancestors

Historical

1920

My wife’s great-grandmother, Hannah (McAllister) Darling died in 1913.

                     Peter McAllister’s Passport Photo

Her father, Peter McAllister, was estranged from his wife and was rooming at 2237 Salisbury Street in Pittsburgh, PA. In 1920, Pennsylvania had 146 McAllister families (about 6% of the McAllister families in the US). Peter, his wife Margaret, his son John, his son Edward, and his son Joseph constituted 5 of those 146 McAllister families.

Peter was my wife’s immigrant McAllister Ancestor. Peter had three sons, Frank, Edward, and John, all of whom immigrated to the United States in 1886-1887. A fourth son, Joseph was born in New York in 1889. Frank died young and I have only found daughters descended from John. Edward and Joseph both had sons that would have carried on the McAllister surname (and their Y-DNA).

1881

In 1881, Peter, and his wife Margaret, lived at 5 High Church Street in Workington, England, in 1881. He worked as an Engineman and the couple had two children at census time. According to Forebears, in 1881, there were 900 incidences of the McAllister surname in England and another 2,649 in Scotland.

Oral History

Family oral history indicated that the McAllister family was Scots. Although I have not found any ancestors (yet) that lived in Scotland, the family did live in Workington, Cockermouth, and Carlisle, all in the north of England. Workington is only about 20 miles from Scotland across the Solway Firth (part of the Irish Sea) and about a 42 miles drive to Gretna Green, Scotland. Cockermouth and Carlisle are even closer to Scotland.

Family oral history also talked of a “Black Peter McAllister” who was a blockade runner during the US Civil War. Apparently called “Black Peter” because of being bad.  Anyway, second great-grandfather Peter McAllister was too young to have been “Black Peter” (aged 10 to 15 during the Civil War).  However, his grandfather was also named “Peter.” Peter, the elder, would have been born in the late 1700s and is a candidate for having been involved in the US Civil War. I need to do more research regarding Peter McAlister, the elder. It would be great to find information regarding the McAllister’s being involved in the US Civil War.

My wife’s known McAllister relatives.

My records have identified 105 direct-line descendants of Peter McAllister (the elder).

Sources:

 

Ancestor Sketch – Edward Lamb

Darling/McAllister/Lambe
By Don Taylor

Howell/Darling – Ancestor #54

List of Grandparents

  • Grandfather: Robert Harry Darling
  • 1st Great-grandmother: Hannah McAllister
  • 2nd Great-grandmother: Margaret Mary Lamb
  • 3rd Great-grandfather: Edward Lamb
  • 4th Great-grandfather: Edward Lamb

Edward Lamb (c. 1831-c. 1893)

Birth

Edward Lamb was christened on 15 January 1832 in Warcop, Westmorland, England[i]. As such, I suppose he was born in late 1831. His parents were Edward and Ann Lamb.  He was born in Warcop, Westmorland, England. It appears that he was the middle of three children. A sister, Isabella, was about two years older and another sister, Mary, about three years younger. All were born in Sanford/Warcop area[ii].

The death certificate for his daughter, Margaret, indicates that her father was born in Sanford, England.[iii]  As there is no Sanford, England and a very small village, Sandford, is next to Warcop, England, so I’m sure that is what was intended.

Childhood

Sandford is a very rural farm area today, and I’m quite certain it was the same then. His father, also named Edward, died when Edward, the child, was only eight years old.

Sir George Hayter’s coronation portrait of the Queen

While little Edward was growing up, slavery was abolished in the British Empire and Victoria ascended to the throne of England.

By the 1841 Census, nine-year-old Edward was living with his mother and his two sisters.[iv] Also, with the family was Dorothy Bradley; I’m not sure who Dorothy is or how she is related. They were enumerated in Soulby, Westmorland, England. (Westmorland is now Cambria, England).  My suspicion is that she is directly related and Ann and the children moved in with her for a short while after Ann was widowed. I need to do more research on Dorothy.

The 1851 Census finds Edward living with his mother, Ann, and his sister, Isabell, in Soulby. Ann has a 13-acre Farm. Both Isabella and Edward are “employed at home.”[v]

Marriage

Edward married Isabella Atkinson on 27 November 1853 in Warcop, Westmorland, England[vi]. They had five children.

Children of Edward and Isabella (Atkinson) Lamb[vii]

Child Birth Marriage Death
Jane Lamb Abt. 1852 – –
Ann Lamb Bef. 26 Mar 1859 – –
Margaret Mary Lamb 28 Apr 1860
Appleby in Westmorland		 22 Aug 1878

Peter McAllister

 14 Jan 1929
Mount Oliver, PA
James Cooper Lamb Bef 18 May 1862 – –
Edward Lamb (3rd) Apr-May 1864
Kendal, Westmorland		 – –

Censuses

The 1861 Census finds Edward working as a Victualer. A victualer is the keeper of a restaurant or tavern.[viii] With him are Isabella and Margaret. Dorothy Bradley, who Edward was living with during 1841, is visiting them.[ix]

The 1871 Census finds Edward again living with his mother and two sisters.  Ann is listed as widowed and is the owner of the house and land they are on. Edward is listed as a laborer.[x]

Edward’s daughter Margaret moved to Maryport (50 miles westward on the coast) where she met and then married Peter McAllister. Margaret’s 1878 marriage registry entry indicates her father, Edward, was an Inn Keeper.[xi]

In 1881, the Census record indicates that Edward was back in Sandford and was the proprietor of a house and land and was an annuitant[xii]. He is listed as married, however, neither his wife nor his children were with him. Something to note is that in England, the Census records indicate where a person was on a particular date, not where they live. So, Edward’s wife and children could have been visiting someone on April 3rd, and the census records would have put them at that location.

The 1891 Census finds Edward living in Warcop again. There he is living “on his own means.” He is listed as married, but again, his wife does not appear with him.[xiii]

Death

Edward died on 1 November 1893 in Sandford of Cirrhosis of Liver and Pulmonary Congestion. His sister, Mary Lamb, was present at his death.

Locations

Edward Lamb (1831-1893) spent his entire life in Westmorland, England. All of his known life events took place within five miles of each other – Sandford, Warcop, Soulby, and Kirkby Stephen.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1IHUy2KEXd_5c9r4MkDhJ0eG5PlT_Cg0n&usp=sharing

Continue reading “Ancestor Sketch – Edward Lamb”

Ancestor Bio – Hannah Bell McAllister Mullholland

Darling – McAllister – Bell
By Don Taylor

Photo of Don Taylor with cat Nasi.I often have difficulties researching ancestors who lived in Europe. Hannah is no exception. She was born, lived and died all within 50 miles of Workington, England. I am not 100% confident that all of these facts are correct or that the sources are actually for Hannah, but I have spent much time looking for alternatives to this story without success.

Darling Research – Ancestor #53

List of Grandparents

  • Grandfather: Robert Harry Darling(1907-1969)
  • 1st Great-grandmother: Hannah McAllisterDarling White (1886-1913)
  • 2nd Great-grandfather: Peter McAllister(1852-1941)
  • 3rd Great-grandmother: Hannah Bell (c. 1822-1878)
  • 4th Great-grandfather: Jonathan Bell (c. 1801-____)

Hannah Bell (c. 1822-1878)

The date of Hannah’s birth is unknown; however, she was born in Workington, Cumberland county, England.[1] However, we know she was baptized on 9 March 1823 at St. Michael’s Church in Workington, Cumberland County, England. It appears that she was the oldest of at least four children born to Jonathan and Margaret Bell.

Her siblings include a brother and two sisters.

  • Charles     born 1824-1825
  • Mary         born 1826-1827
  • Jane           Born July-Sept. 1837

Childhood

There wasn’t an 1831 England census and I have been unable to find anything regarding Hannah before the 1841 Census. In it, Hannah is living with her father and (implied) three siblings, Charles, Mary, & Jane. Hannah’s mother, Margaret, is not in the household and is not found in any other records, so I’m sure that she died sometime between 1837 and 1841.

Marriage #1

On 08 Nov 1845, Hannah married Joseph McAllister in Cockermouth, Cumberland, England. Hannah and Joseph had three children.

  •       Margaret Mcallister  – Born 19 Oct 1846 – Died 12 Dec 1848
  •       Joseph McAllister      – Born in 1848 – died ____
  •       Peter McAllister        – Born 12 Feb 1852   Died 16 Jan 1941.

Adult

The 1851 Census finds Joseph and Hannah living at 60 Maine Street, Cockermouth, Cumberland, England, along with their son Joseph. An Ann Calbeck is living with them; she is a 61 year old visitor.

The couple moved to Workington by February 1852, as Peter was born there and not in Cockermouth.

Tragedy struck in the fall of 1855 when Hannah’s husband, Joseph, died.

Marriage #2

On 04 Nov 1855, Hannah married Charles Mayholland (Mulholland) in Workington, Cumberland, England. Hannah and Charles had three children.

  •       Hannah Mulholland  – 11 May 1856 – died 25 May 1856.
  •       Charles Mulholland   – Born c. 1859 – died ____
  •       John Mulholland        – Born c. 1862 – died ____

The 1861 Census finds the Charles Mayholland family living at 148 Bell St., Workington. Charles is a sawyer[2]. Nine-year-old Peter is using the surname of Mayholland (instead of McAllister). Also, in the household is the couple’s oldest son together, Charles.

The 1871 Census finds the Charles Mulholand household living at 23 Bell St. Workington. I can’t tell if they moved or if the streets were renumbered. In any event, the household consisted of Charles, Hannah, and their son John, who was 8 years old. Charles is a Cir (Circular?) Sawyer.

Death & Burial

Hannah died on 19 September 1878 at home (23 Hill Street, Workington) at the age of 55 after a long 2-year battle with cancer of the uterus.

Events by Location

  • Arthuret, Cumberland, England             1841 (Census)
  • Cockermouth, Cumberland, England    1845; 1851; (Marriage #1 & Census)
    1878 (Death)
  • Whitehaven, Cumberland, England       1922? (Birth)
  • Workington, Cumberland, England       1923; (Baptism)
    1852, 1855, 1861, 1871. (Birth of Peter,
    Marriage to Charles, & 2 Censuses)

Further Actions / Follow-up

  • Await receipt of Hannah’s death record then incorporate.
  • Find out where 23 and 148 Bell Street in Workington are today.

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Sources

  • 1841 Census – England and Wales Census, 1841, Family Search, Jonathan Bell – Arthur, Longtown, Cumberland – Image at Family History Center. “England and Wales Census, 1841,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M VXC : 28 May 2019), Jonathan Bell, Arthuret, Cumberland, England, United Kingdom; from “1841 England, Scotland and Wales census,” database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO HO 107, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey. . https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M73F-VXC.
  • 1851 England Census, Ancestry, Joseph Allinson [McAllister] Cockermouth, Cumberland, England. Class: HO107; Piece: 2434; Folio: 483; Page: 15; GSU roll: 87114. https://search.ancestry.com/collections/8860/records/15194542.
  • 1861 England Census, Ancestry, Charles Mayholland – Workington, Cumberland. Class: RG 9; Piece: 3939; Folio: 42; Page: 21; GSU roll: 543210 Source Information
com. 1861 England Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: https://prf.hn/click/camref:1101l4wD7/creativeref:1101l27800 Operations Inc, 2005. Original data: Census Returns of England and Wales, 1861. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Oice (PRO), 1861. Data imaged from The National Archives, London, England. The National Archives gives no warranty as to the accuracy, completeness or fitness for the purpose of the information provided. Images may be used only for purposes of research, private study or education. Applications for any other use should be made to The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU. https://search.ancestry.com/collections/8767/records/15093372.
  • 1871 England Census, Ancestry, Charles Mullholand Head – Workington, Cumberland, England. The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1871 England Census; Class: RG10; Piece: 5243; Folio: 56; Page: 39; GSU roll: 847446. Source Information
com. 1871 England Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.
  • England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1837-1915, Ancestry, Hannah Mullholland – Jul-Aug-Sep 1878. (No Image). FreeBMD. England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1837-1915 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006. https://search.ancestry.com/collections/8914/records/24120302.
  • England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915, Ancestry, Marriage – Joseph McAlister [McAllister] and Hannah Bell – Oct-Nov-Dec 1845. FreeBMD. England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: com Operations Inc, 2006. Original data: General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration Indexes. London, England: General Register Office. © Crown copyright. Published by permission of the Controller of HMSO and the Office for National Statistics. You must not copy on, transfer or reproduce records without the prior permission of ONS. Database Copyright © 1998-2003 Graham Hart, Ben Laurie, Camilla von Massenbach and David Mayall.
  • England Births and Christenings, 1538-­1975, Family Search, Hannah Bell – 9 Mar 1823. “England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JWF1-XQN : 11 February 2018, Margaret in entry for Hannah Bell, 09 Mar 1823); citing , index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 90,691, 90,692.
  • GRO – Entry of Birth (HM Passport Office), General Register Office, Birth – Margaret McAllister – 1846 – Workington, Cumberland, England . Volume 25, Page 104, No 350. https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/Login.asp.
  • GRO – Entry of Birth (HM Passport Office), General Register Office, Peter McAllister – Cockermouth – Workington – 1852 Birth in district of Workington in the county of Cumberland County, England. Line 498 – Twelth February 1852 High Church Street Workington.
  • GRO – Entry of Marriage (HM Passport Office, ), General Register Office, 1845 Marriage – Joseph McAlister & Hannah Bell – (McAllister). General Register Office – Marriage Certificates – 1845, Quarter D, Volume 25, Page 111.
  • GRO – Entry of Marriage (HM Passport Office), General Register Office, 1855 Marriage – Charles Mayholland & Hanna [Bell] McAllister. General Register Office – Marriage Certificates – 466, Quarter D, Volume 10B, Page 646.

  • GRO – Entry of Death, General Register Office, Hannah Mullholland – 1878 Sep Qtr – Cockermouth, Vol B, Page 351, Line 35.

ENDNOTES

[1] The 1851 Census indicates that Hannah was born in Whitehaven, a town about 8 miles down the coast from Workington. All the other census and records indicate she was born in Workington.

[2] A Sawyer is someone who saws wood. (Wikipedia). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sawyer

Sketch – Lydia (Cockeram) Blackhurst (c. 1777-1827)

Ancestor Sketch
Montran-Barber-Blackhurst-Cockeram
By Don Taylor

It is always “fun” when the surname changes. Lydia’s surname has been represented several ways including Cockeram, Cochran, and Cockram. Cockeram seems to be the most commonly used form.

Research Family 2019 – Ancestor #125

List of Grandparents

Lydia Cockeram (c. 1777-1827)

It is not clear when Lydia Cockeram was born.  Possibly as early as 1775 and as late as 1778 nor who here parents are because two Lydia Cockerams were born in Mackworth, Derbyshire, England within a year of each other. One to Adam and Elizabeth Cockeram and the other to John and Helen Cockeram. For more information about the parents of Lydia, please see “Lydia Cockeram’s Parents.”

If Adam and Elizabeth are her parents, then she grew up the 7th of 8 children. At least two of her siblings died before she was born (Catherine-1, and Thomas). Her other siblings included Mary, Elizabeth, Catherine-2, Alice, and Adam.

If John and Helen were her parents, then she had at least one sister, also named Lydia, who was baptized on 7 July 1772 and was buried on 4 March 1773.  I have much more research to do on this possible parentage. Hopefully, I will find something which clarifies who Lydia’s parents are.

Marriage & Adulthood

St. Peter’s Church – Derby, Derbyshire – Photo by Jerry Evans.

Lydia married Stephen Blackhurst on 14 Jun 1802 at St. Peter’s Church in Derby, Derbyshire, England.

Lydia and Stephen would have at least nine children. The first two were born in Derby, and the other seven were born in Sheffield, Yorkshire, England.

The Children Stephen and Lydia Blackhurst

Name

 Born Death
Stephen[1] 1803 1869
Eliza 1805 Possibly[2] 1806
Mary c. 1806 Possibly 1877
Matthew 1808 1846
Francis 1812 Possibly 1820
William c. 1813 Possibly 1880
Lydia c. 1815 Possibly 1894
John c. 1818 Probably after 1844
Adamson c. 1819 Possibly 1901

It appears that Stephen and Lydia moved from Derby, Derbyshire, to Sheffield, Yorkshire in 1805 or 1806.

Death & Burial

Lydia (Cockeram) Blackhurst died on 6 May 1827, probably at the age of 50.

Further Actions / Follow-up

  1. Further research on the parents of Lydia is necessary to confirm which set of parents, Adam & Elizabeth or John & Helen are Lydia’s parents.
  2. I need to determine any additional children for John & Helen besides the two Lydia’s.
  3. I need to confirm births, marriages, and deaths for all of Stephen and Lydia’s children.

Sources

  • Derbyshire, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812 (Mackworth, Derbyshire, England, ), Com, Lydia Cockeram – 22 Apr 1777 – Mackworth, All Saints, Derbyshire, England.
  • England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975, Family Search, Eliza Blackhurst. “England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NGNQ-4MJ : 11 February 2018, Stephen Blackhurst in the entry for Eliza Blackhurst, 09 Mar 1805); citing , index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 422,207, 422,208, 498,068, 498,069.
  • England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975, Family Search, Stephen Blackhurst. “England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NV78-7MZ : 11 February 2018, Stephen Blackhurst in the entry for Stephen Blackhurst, 13 Jul); citing yr 1662-1810, index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 422,208.
  • England, Derbyshire, Church of England Parish Registers, 1537-1918, Family Search, Marriage – Stephen Blackhurst & Lydia Cockran – 14 Jun 1802.
  • England, Pallot’s Marriage Index, 1780-1837, Com, Lydia Cockram & Stephen Blackhurst – 1802. Accessed 28 Jun 2019.

————–  Disclaimer  ————–

ENDNOTES

[1] Stephen Blackhurst (1803-1869) is my 3rd Great-grandfather.

[2] Items identified as “Possibly” or “Probably” have not been verified or confirmed by me.

Lydia Cockeram’s Parents?

Who are the parents of Lydia Cockeram, the wife of Stephen Blackhurst?

It is important to remember that other people’s trees are really only hints and you should not rely upon them as truth.  Such is my experience researching my 4th great-grandmother, Lydia Cockeram. I had known that she married Stephen Blackhurst in Derby, Derbyshire, England in 1802 and that she had (at least) nine children.

My basic research practice is to find my ancestor on Family Search. In this case, she is Lydia Cockeram, spouse of Stephen Blackhurst and parents of Adam and Elizabeth Cockeram. https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/27SC-YWL. Awesome, I now have potential names for her parents.  Next, I review all of the sources for the individual’s facts.  In this case, there were 33 sources. I determine what facts can be attributed to each of the sources. In this case, many of the sources were duplicated or even triplicated, but 10 were solid sources. Many of the records dealt with the children of Lydia. If a son or daughter of Stephen and Lydia was baptized/christened, it is likely they lived in that location at that time. In the case of Stephen and Lydia, their first two children were born in Derby, Derbyshire, while the other seven children were born in Sheffield, Yorkshire, thus making it evident they moved from Derby to Sheffield in 1805 or 1806.

Lydia, Daughter of Adam and Elizabeth Cockeram baptized 22 Apr 1777

In my research, I saw where Adam and Elizabeth Cockeram had a daughter Lydia who was christened on 22 April 1777. I aso saw that John and Helen Cockeram had a daughter that was christened on 21 March 1778. Look as I may, I could not find any source that would corroborate who the parents of the Lydia that married Stephen Blackhurst were. Are my Lydia’s parents Adam & Elizabeth or are they John and Helen?

Lydia, daughter of John and Helen Cockeram baptized 22 Apr 1778

Next, I went to Ancestry.Com. What did other people’s trees there say. Three of the trees indicated Lydia’s birthday was 12 March 1777 (her Baptism Date). Eight of the trees indicated Lydia’s birthday was 12 March 1775.  I looked very closely at those trees and found none of them had a source indicating that date.  Again, eight of the trees indicated that Lydia was born in Sheffield, Yorkshire (By the way, it was a different 8 trees) and none of the trees had a source for the birthplace, although several had her baptism/christening in Derby, Derbyshire in 1777 as I did.  Finally, all but two had Adam as Lydia’s father and, again, none of them appeared to have a source other than the sources I had for her baptism. I didn’t find any sources that people cited on Ancestry that I hadn’t already found on Family Search.

The bottom line is that I’m confident that Lydia Cockeram, who married Stephen Blackhurst,  was born in Mackworth, Derbyshire, England. She was born before 21 March 1778 and possibly born before 21 April 1777. Her parents are either Adam and Elizabeth (Hewitt) Cockeram or John and Helen Cockeram. From currently known and understood sources, Lydia, the wife of Stephen Blackhurst, parentage and birth date are still in question.

Feeling a brick wall rising, I’ve opened a discussion/collaborate on Family Search on this topic.  See: https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/collaborate/27SC-YWL. Hopefully, someone will have a source record that identifies Lydia’s parents and will let me know about it either here or there. Also, I’ll continue my research. Maybe I’ll find something that will definitively answer the question of Lydia’s parents.