A few notes on ages...

[Mal]

Hello there...

Was having a bit of a discussion with a professional, and experienced, Irish genealogist about ages and a few things popped up that this gentleman had experienced in Ireland, including his own family research, that may be worth keeping in mind for us Janners.

1. The nearest five years.
At first census recorders rounded ages up or down to the nearest five years, as most of us have found out, however word got around amongst the "simple" folk that this what one "ought to do". Therefore when giving their ages, they started rounding up and down themselves- given the low level of numeracy that some of our ancestors had... I'm sure you can imagine.

2. Wedding ages.
One had to be of "full age" i.e. 21 or over to marry without parental consent. This could prove a problem when a father was deceased or, as ever, the parents did NOT consent. What was the solution? People were creative with the truth. In days with no passports or demands for i.d. every five minutes, no computerised record checking etc I suppose it must have been a lot easier to add the odd year or two.

So if you have a few "issues" with census ages, certificate ages, and baptisms, deaths etc not matching up exactly, especially if they are out by a year, then do not despair!

Finally, I know of one defininte case of an ancestor of mine who lied about his age so he could serve in the First World War, he gave his age as 18 when in fact it was 17. I have had to point this out to several researchers and the Imperial War Museum too!!!

Hope that helps, or encourages!
M

[marychown]

Hello Malcolm,

I was very interested to read your entry 'A few notes on ages . . .'

I have also experienced that people can appear under a completely different name to the one given to them at baptism.

From my late mother I knew that her great-great-grandparents were Ben and Jane Harvey from Mousehole. I had no problem finding Benjamin Harvey's Paul marriage and burial records and I found him in the 1841 census: 'Benjamin Harvey, 36, fisherman, born in County'. From the census where a definite age and not a rounded up or down age is given, I knew that he must have been born in 1805/1806. However, I could not find an appropriate baptism entry. I knew for a fact from my mother and grandmother that Ben Harvey was from Paul parish. Then, I wondered if he was the same person as Abednego Harvey baptised at Paul on 6 April 1806, son of James and Jane Harvey.

By researching as fully as possible all the information on James and Jane Harvey and their children, I knew that their son James Harvey baptised at Paul on 7 October 1810 was Captain and owner of the boat 'Edwin' recorded on the 1851 census in Mousehole harbour. The crew members all appeared to be brothers-in-law and nephews of James Harvey. One crew member was Benjamin Harvey (baptised at Paul on 10 October 1830; buried at Paul on 31 May 1851), who was the son of Benjamin and Jane Harvey. He had appeared in the 1851 census just prior to his death. So, I presumed that he too was a nephew of James Harvey and that his father Benjamin Harvey was therefore the same person as Abednego Harvey.

I later learned from an Online Parish Clerk that she had already seen instances where boys called Abednego could appear later on as Benjamin. In the case of my 3xgreat-father, I can only assume that he did not like his name Abednego and therefore preferred to be know as Benjamin, even marrying and being buried with that name. In the days before civil registration this was obviously possible.

All the best,

Mary

[Cornish Terrier]

As a matter of interest my first recollection of the name Abednego was from a Will that I had looked up years ago where the name was referred to as 'Bendigo'.

Abednego was reasonably common at one time particularly in the 'Land's End' area from what I have seen but it seems to have become less and less common from (pick a date) around 1800.

A name certainly found in Paul but also St Buryan and the other Parishes around Land's End.

[tonymitch]

Hello Mary,

I too have Abednego Harvey from Paul in my little lot. I don't think the names Abednego and Benjamin have any link other than that the sound of the names is similar. Obviously, names were, and still are changed.

Have a look at Benoni Jehabod Mitchell Trezise (b 1839) who later went on to be known as Benajmin, and honestly, who can bame him. Benoni would of course be shortened to Ben so Benjamin is an obvious alternative. Actually, in the Old Testament Benoni was the name initially given by Rachel to her son as she died in childbirth, later altered by father Jacob to Benjamin....so it certainly has been going on a little longer than civil registration (See Genesis Ch 35 v 18)

Also my g-g-mother Mary Oats is listed in the 1851 census living at 51 Weavers Place St Just as 'Nanny'.

Tony M

[marychown]

Hello Tony,

I am wondering where Abednego Harvey fits into your records. Are you also descended from the same Harvey family of Paul?

Regards,

Mary

[tonymitch]

Hello Mary

Am I also descended from the Harveys of Paul? The answer is definately possible! My Abednego was born abt 1717 and married Blanche Leah. He was an ancestor of Abednego Harvey Uren (just noticed...he was called Benjamin too) b 1830 who had a son Charlie who married my great aunt Mary Ann.

However, I have a much closer Harvey link because Mary Ann's g-g-mother was a Lavinia Harvey who died in 1853. Birth dubious...although we can definately say she was born. Have a look at the Mitchell thread on the St Buryan page for more info on Lavinia.

If you would like to contact me on the pm bit, I'll gladly share 'Harvey' info.

Regards

Tony M