|
Post by sarahm on Oct 23, 2017 14:06:53 GMT -5
Hello Roger, CT and cousin George,
My name is Sarah, the primary genealogist for my family. George, I believe that you know my grandma Florence and my mom, Karen (in Oregon).
Yes, Joseph Mortimer Pryor (Born Prior) is the Joseph that married Mary Jane Pote and fathered her 2 children. This was before he came to America where he married his 2nd wife, Rachel Alcorn. Rachel died leaving several children including my g.g.g. Grandfather, Theodore Edward Pryor, Joseph’s son.
We know Joseph went back to St. Blazey and possibly Tywardreath a number of times until he married his 3rd and final time to Elizabeth Cupid. It is possible that the reason he did this was to visit his mother and siblings that remains in Cornwall. After His father’s death in 1841, his mother re-married. She was Elizabeth Mitchell, married to Samuel Prior with 3 children (John Mitchell, Joseph Mortimer, and Elizabeth Anne). She then married Joseph Clement and they had at least one child together, Emma.
Mary Jane Pote is listed in the 1861 England Census as a servant in the Brokenshar household. She was 20 years old. Perhaps she continued as a servant and her children were living with their grandparents due to this.
|
|
|
Post by donne on Oct 24, 2017 11:33:15 GMT -5
Hi Sarah, nice to hear from you. Yes, Joseph Mortimer Pryor (Born Prior) is the Joseph that married Mary Jane Pote and fathered her 2 children. This was before he came to America where he married his 2nd wife, Rachel Alcorn. Rachel died leaving several children including my g.g.g. Grandfather, Theodore Edward Pryor, Joseph’s son. If you read through the thread, you will see that the conclusion we came to was that Joseph Prior fathered only the first of Mary Jane Pote's children, that is Bessie who was born 23 May 1863. In the baptism register, the second child Mary Annie Prior was actually recorded as illegitimate with no father's name. However if as you say Joseph Prior made several visits back to Cornwall then that does open up the possibility that he and and Mary Jane got together again. Mary Annie was born on 26 Nov 1868 and bap. 4 Jan 1869 so if you happen to know any of the dates of Joseph's return visits we could actually check whether that is biologically possible! On her marriage certificate Mary Annie stated her father was John Prior - I rather think she didn't know her father's name. The whereabouts of Mary Jane Prior nee Pote after the birth of Mary Annie remain a complete mystery. I am aware of the 1861 census entry placing her in service with the Brokenshire household but I can find no subsequent census entries relating to her. The only thing we can be sure of is that she was still alive in 1868 when Joseph married Rachel Alcorn on 17 Feb in Iowa, since Mary Annie was born to her later that year.
|
|