Post by daveburtonwilliams on Nov 28, 2014 16:13:25 GMT
A slightly complicated story with a mystery at the end...
Thomas Williams (1816-1905) married Jane Bithell (1813-1890) at Wrexham parish church. Their son Thomas (1848-1922) married Ann Matthews (1854-1885) at Wrexham Registry office. They had seven children (Mary Ellen, Robert Thomas, Evan, Sarah Elizabeth, John William, Stephen and Arthur). Thomas was a building contractor and all the sons worked in the business as joiners, bricklayers, surveyors, etc. After Ann died, Thomas married Elizabeth Bithell (1850-??) at Jerusalem Chapel Egerton Street Wrexham. Elizabeth Bithell was the daughter of Edward Bithell (1810-1886) who was the brother of Jane Bithell. They were two of the children of Edward Bithell (1777-1853), both born at Llangwm.
The 1910 US census records Stephen Williams as a boarder in the house of a divorcee, Mary Elizabeth Bithell at Allison Street Pittsburgh. Mary Ann Elizabeth Breed (born 1858 in Luton) had married Frederick William Bithell 11 December 1876 at Stratford upon Avon.
Frederick William Bithell was born at Afongoch, Ruabon 29 Apr 1859, the son of John Bithell (1837-1916) and Caroline (nee Brown) (1839-1863). In the 1881 census Frederick gave his birthplace as Minera.
John Bithell was the son of Richard Bithell (1811-1846) and Elizabeth (nee Jones). Richard was a butcher and died at Felin Nant, Esclusham Above.
So Stephen Williams had a Bithell grandmother and stepmother who were closely related. Was it just a coincidence that he was recorded in another Bithell household in Pittsburgh on 15 April 1910, having arrived at Ellis Island New York on 11 October 1909? Can anyone help clarify the Bithell story?