Catherine Glasson of Truro

[Deleted]

CT et al

I am just looking for another view point on my conclusions as well as a possible location of Catherine Glasson in the 1861 census.

The lady in question was baptised at Kenwyn, Cornwall on the 31st October 1824, daughter of Robert Glasson, a blacksmith, and Jane nee Cock. As an aside this Robert later married Patience Langworthy.

In the 1841 census Catherine was an 18 year old servant at Truro.

On the 22nd November 1847, Catherine Glasson, a spinster and daughter of Robert Glasson, a whitesmith, married Benjamin Strongman (of HMS Bellerophon) in the Parish Church at Portsmouth.

In the 1851 census Catherine Strongman, born around 1822 at Truro, was a mariner's wife living at Falmouth.

At this stage I cannot find her in the 1861 census and I would like to.

However, on the 19th May 1867, a Catherine Glasson, a 37 year old spinster, daughter of Robert Glasson, a blacksmith, married a Scotchman -  William McPherson (of HMS Camelion) in the Sheppey Register Office in the County of Kent.

In the 1871, 1881 and 1891 census William and Catherine are together in Portsea and Catherine is said to be of Truro with her birth year varying from 1823 to 1830.

This is the same woman is it not???

Lannanta

[Cornish Terrier]

baptised at Kenwyn, Cornwall on the 31st October 1824

No, she was baptized on 3rd October (Kenwyn Parish Register) She and brother Robert were baptized on the same day.

Lannanta - on the fact of it we seem to be dealing with the same Catherine. Unfortunately I have not been able to find her in 1861 either but, more importantly at the moment, I cannot find her as you describe in 1851 either!!

I have tried searching with as little information as 'born Truro living Falmouth' but there is absolutely no sign of her in the Ancestry Census!! A pointer in the right direction would be of some help please.

I presume you are quoting both marriages directly from Marriage Certificates? If so then can you tell if these are 'original' documents or, as is so common these days, have the details been copied by the GRO staff onto an Official Marriage Form?

If these are scanned from the original registers then we need to compare signiatures, if Catherine could write, or if she only made a mark we need to see if perhaps the marks might be similar. But certainly at the moment I don't have another Catherine daughter of Robert around that time.

CT

[Deleted]

First name(s)
Catharine

Last name
Strongman

Relationship
Visitor

Marital status
Married

Age
29

Birth year
1822

Occupation
Mariners Wife

Birth town
Truro

Birth town as transcribed
Truro

Birth county
Cornwall

House name
Winchester Buildings

Town
Falmouth

County
Cornwall

Parliamentary borough
Penryn & Falmouth

Municipal ward
The Borough of Falmouth

Registration district
Falmouth

Archive reference
HO107

Piece number
1911

Folio
260

Page
29

Record set
1851 England, Wales & Scotland Census

[zibetha]

Lannanta,

The Free BMD Marriage index has a "Catharine Strongman" marrying a "William MacPherson" in the 3rd quarter of 1871, Truro RD,Volume 5c Page 263. Coincidence?

Zib

PS -- Just found that one on the OPC site, too -- where it says she was a widow, daughter of Robert Glasson, a smith Marriage took place Nov 6 1871

[sue]

Which could lead to husband No. 1 Benjamin Strongman dying December Q 1869 in Yarmouth RD, another port area so likely for a seaman, and age 47 seeming reasonable (whoops, don't want to enter the "age at marriage" debate!!!!! )

I think this might be Benjamin:
Reference: ADM 139/246/24540
Description: Name Strongman, Benjamin
Place of Birth: Falmouth, Cornwall
Continuous Service Number: 24540
Date of Volunteering: 25 July 1855
Date of Birth: 1821
Date: [1853-1872]
Held by: The National Archives, Kew

so baptised 10 May 1821 born 26 April to Francis & Bridget per FS.

Why 2 marriages for Catherine Glasson to the same man, the latter one apparently legitimate? Intriguing....

Sue

[Cornish Terrier]

Why 2 marriages for Catherine Glasson to the same man, the latter one apparently legitimate? Intriguing....

From the information presented I would suggest the answer to that question might hinge on the fate of Benjamin Strongman. The marriage to William McPherson at Sheppey was 1867 yet Benjamin Strongman does not appear to have died until 1869 and then two years later in 1871 Catharine marries William McPherson again at Truro St John.
As Benjamin Strongman was a seafaring man it may be that he was lost and presumed dead so for Catherine to remarry would indicate there was probably some sort of official recognition of Benjamin's death. A most embarrassing time must have been had by all when Benjamin 'resurfaced'!!

Another option might be that the 1869 Death Record was the 'official' record of his death. The death was registered in 1869 (presuming it is the same man) so it might be interesting to view that Certificate to see just what date of death is recorded. As no death certificate could be provided without a body could it be that after a couple of years some remains were found that could be identified as Benjamin Strongman? If that, or something similar, were the case then it is likely an Inquest or some other form of inquiry would have been held in order to allow a death certificate to be issued.

That could also explain why Catherine was a 'spinster' in 1867 and why she and William McPherson were married again in 1871.

CT

[Deleted]

so baptised 10 May 1821 born 26 April to Francis & Bridget per FS.

Yes I agree... when he received his "register ticket" in 1844 it stated that he had been in the RN for seven years and had joined the RN as a "seaman boy" in 1837. Birth date as above. Place of residence when unemployed was Falmouth.

He is definitely the son of Francis Strongman as per his marriage certificate and therefore most likely the son of Bridget (Biddy) Hackett.

The William McPherson in both marriages is an exact match.

CT I am interested to fully understand why you suggest she would be right to list herself as a spinster at the McPherson marriage?

Lannanta

[zibetha]

Another discrepancy or two? Lannanta, you indicate that William and Catherine were at Portsea in 1871. In that case who were the William and Catherine at Porthleven? Coast guard boatman and wife living in the Coast Guard cottages there? Due to the timing of the Census, this would have been a little over a half-year before the marriage at Truro.

Something needed to be "fixed" in 1871 for legal reasons, I think. I wonder if it has to do with the Coast Guard and/or if it is significant that William's father, James MacPherson's profession was Superintendent of Police (and where he held that position.) Was that also the year Catherine's father died?

Zib

[Deleted]

Another discrepancy or two? Lannanta, you indicate that William and Catherine were at Portsea in 1871. In that case who were the William and Catherine at Porthleven? Coast guard boatman and wife living in the Coast Guard cottages there? Due to the timing of the Census, this would have been a little over a half-year before the marriage at Truro.

My mistake sorry Zib.

In the 1871 census William McPherson, aged 34, a coast guard boatman, born in Scotland and his wife Catherine McPherson, aged 41 years born in Truro were living at The Coast Guard Cottage, Peverel Terrace, Sithney.

In the 1881 census William McPherson, aged 43, a bricklayer's labourer, born in Perthshire, Scotland and his wife Cathrine McPherson, aged 56 years born in Truro were living at 56 Lucknow Street, Portsea, Portsea Island.

In the 1891 census William McPherson, aged 54, a pensioner from RN, born in Scotland and his wife Catherine McPherson, aged 68 years born in Truro were living at Lucknow Street, Portsea, Portsea Island.

I realised my error last night when I was adding them to my database. There are a number of twists and turns.... one marriage in the Register Office and one in a Church.... the cynic would say that it is safer to lie to the Registrar than it is to God??? I think the reality relies on the term "spinster" and whether or not it came from Catherine or an assumption by the Registrar given that Catherine could not write her name. Either way I am sure that it is the same woman.

According to my records Catherine's father Robert was buried on the 12th January 1871 - the same year as you suggest.

Lannanta

[zibetha]

Just wondering, Lannanta!

The storyline behind records fascinates me and has been helpful in tracking down my own family members. I have a VERY distant connection to Robert Glasson's niece Jane's husband, William John Coryn (Jr) so this group was already in my tree.

I am no "spring chicken" and have been dealing with powers of attorney, probate, pensions, insurance benefits, etc. of late, and suspect something of that order may have been in play here since the couple seems to have considered themselves married until something challenged that.

Z

[Cornish Terrier]

CT I am interested to fully understand why you suggest she would be right to list herself as a spinster at the McPherson marriage?

Lannanta - I am not sure that I mean she would have been 'right' to label herself a spinster and as you have pointed out it may have been the clerk who 'assumed' that condition. What I was getting at was that perhaps Catherine died not really know if she was a widow or not given the scenario where Benjamin Strongman may have been missing and possibly presumed dead.
Perhaps the second marriage came about for reasons something along the lines I suggested - i.e. if Benjamin had been presumed dead but no body found. In reality there may have been no particular reason at all for why she was recorded as a spinster - just think of the number of marriage records you and I have seen and discussed where one or other or, at times, both parties involved in a marriage were known conclusively to be widowed yet were still recorded as single!

CT