Emma Ashworth of Lincolnshire

[maryphil]

Can anyone help with this puzzle, one of my friend's from line dancing is tearing her hair out she writes to me saying -

"Not sure if you are going to have any success with this one – Emma Ashworth born c1857 at four different locations, according to the census. Boston, Baston, Easton and the last one Willingham by Stow, Lincolnshire. I have looked and cannot find any trace of Emma in the birth records. I do however know that she died 10th Feb 1931 aged 74 and is buried in Willingham by Stow graveyard. The marriage certificate is of no help either, father is left blank, not so and so deceased. She was of full age so presumably over 21 when she married which was April 18 1881. She is on the 1881 census as Emma Ashworth from Boston working as a servant and living in Willingham, her age is said to be 24 which again would put her birth as 1857This has been bugging me for over five years now and I think you are my last port of call, hopefully you can find out something".

Can anyone help?
Mary

[ElizabethHerts]

Perhaps she was born and baptised under a different surname?

[kiterunner]

Presumably she married Zacharias Fox Cragg, as there is an Emma Cragg death registered Jan-Mar 1931 Gainsborough district, age 74.
(Edit - yes found it on FamilySearch.)

What are the names of the witnesses on the marriage certificate? According to FamilySearch, the marriage took place at Willingham and it gives the name of Zacharias' father as Zacharias, so if Emma's father's name is not given it suggests she was illegitimate rather than they just didn't bother to put down the father's name.

(I tried to find the marriage on Lincs to the Past but it comes back with South Willingham, North Willingham and Cherry Willingham and I don't know which one to look at!)

[kiterunner]

I know your friend has all this already, but just so we have it to hand:

1891 census
Willingham, Lincolnshire
Zachariah Cragg Head M 37 Farm Labourer Lincs Willingham
Emma Do Wife M 34 Do Easton
Joseph Do Son 8 Scholar Do Willingham
Alice Do Daur 5 Do Do
Sarah Do Daur 3 Do Do
Zachariah Do 1 Do Do

1901 census
Willingham, Lincolnshire
Zachariah Cragg Head M 47 Bricklayer's Lab Lincs Willingham
Emma Do Wife M 44 Do Baston
Zachariah Do Son 11 Do Willingham
Sarah Do Daur 13 Do Do
Lizzie Do Daur 9 Do Do

1911 census
Willingham by Stow, near Gainsboro, Lincolnshire
Zachariah Cragg Head 57 Married Bricklayer's labourer Willingham Lincs
Emma Cragg Wife 54 Married 30 years, 6 children, 5 living, 1 dead Willingham Lincs
Sarah Cragg Daughter 23 Single Assistant in House Work Willingham Lincs
Zachariah Cragg Son 21 Single Gardener (Domestic) Willingham Lincs

[kiterunner]

And this is the 1881 entry:

1881 census
The Elms, Willingham, Lincolnshire
William J Benson Head Mar 36 Rector of Willingham Devonshire Witheridge
Milicent F Benson Wife Mar 38 " Wife Suffolk Stutton
Thos P Benson Son 6 Scholar Dorset Wyke Regis
John Benson Son 3 " "
Frank Benson Son 2 " Weymouth
Mary Benson Daughter 9 months Lincolnshire Willingham
Sarah Ann Taylor Visitor Widow 54 Wiltshire Devizes
Emma Ashworth Servant Unm 24 Domestic Servant Lincolnshire Boston
Catherine Mills " Unm 27 Nurse Oxford Somertown
Mary E G Willson " Unm 14 Nurse Lincolnshire Laughliston(?)

[kiterunner]

Okay, I'm probably putting two and two together and making seven here, but will just post this up quickly as I have to go to bed in a minute.

1871 census Corringham, Lincs
James Ashworth M 35 Lincs ????
Sarah Ashworth Wife M 32 Lincs Baston
children Alice 5, Rebecca 4, Martha 3, William H 10 m

Marriage Apr - Jun 1865 James Ashworth / Sarah Smart or Snart, Lincoln district

1861 census Sarah Snart is age 22 Unm Servant at Dunholme Lodge.
There is an Emma Snart age 4 born Baston living Baston but she is daughter of Henry 52 and Sarah 46. This couple have a daughter Sarah age 12 with them in 1851.

There is an Emma Smart age 14 in Corringham on the 1871 census, servant, birthplace N K. Henry and Sarah Snart in Baston don't have an Emma with them in 1871.

[kiterunner]

Oh, and just before I go to bed - Emma Snart baptism on FamilySearch 21 Aug 1859 at Baston, mother Sarah.

Goodnight!

[Merry]

lol Kate! :):):) Nice work!

[kiterunner]

There is a birth registration for an Emma Hubberd Snart Jan-Mar 1857 Bourn district (the district for Baston) vol 7a p 295.

Here is Emma Snart's baptism on Lincs to the Past. Unfortunately it doesn't state her age or date of birth:
http://www.lincstothepast.com/Records/RecordDisplayTranscript.aspx?oid=551732&iid=45153

An Edward Snart, son of Hannah, single woman, was baptised the same day. Henry and Sarah Snart also have a daughter Hanna on the 1851 census, a couple of years younger than Sarah jr.

[maryphil]

Kate

I've got a copy of the marriage certificate if you'd like to see it, I'm not sure how I go about posting it on this forum. The witnesses were George Wright and Catherine Mills, the nurse that she worked with at the rectory.

What you have found out in such a short period is brilliant, Viv. will be so pleased, even the fact that we've put it out there and are discussing it.

I'd come up with a different scenario. I was going for George Brown the second witness on the marriage certificate. I wondered could he be her father I'd found the following information from a post office directory of Willingham on Stow for 1876 and it mentions George Wright, blacksmith. I'd then seen a registration for a birth but I think I was clutching at straws
Name: Emma Wright
Date of Registration:Oct-Nov-Dec 1856
Registration District:Gainsborough
Inferred County:Lincolnshire
Volume:7a
Page: 623

I think your ideas are more likely

Mary

[kiterunner]

I've got a copy of the marriage certificate if you'd like to see it, I'm not sure how I go about posting it on this forum.

Info on here:
http://www.genealogistsforum.co.uk/Forum/faq.php?faq=vb3_reading_posting#faq_vb3_attachment s

[maryphil]

Kate
Sorry for the delay in contacting you again about this, I've been on holiday.
I asked my friend today and she is almost certain that you were correct with Emma Snart and that all the pieces seem to fit.
So thank-you very much for all you hard work on this
Regards
Mary

[kiterunner]

You're welcome, Mary. Hope you had a good holiday.