Charles Mills/Row/Mears (and his Mum)

[Phoenix]

Charles Mills was bp 16 August 1818 in Edgefield, daughter of Rebecca Mills:
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/61042/images/61043_b938788-00010?treeid=&personid=&hintid=&queryId=565826206e3932ae2fc223d6886639a5&usePUB=true&_phsrc=Leb19383&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&pId=1504391237

In 1823, Stephen son of Charles and Rebecca Mears is baptised in Edgefield:
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/61042/images/61043_b938788-00018?treeid=&personid=&hintid=&queryId=565826206e3932ae2fc223d6886639a5&usePUB=true&_phsrc=Leb19383&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&pId=1504391237

Note that the original attempt at the surname is scratched out, but it does not appear to be any variant of Rowe or Mills

Charles Row married Maria Skillings 11 Feb 1842 in Edgefield, father unknown:
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/61043/images/61043_b938669-00006?backlabel=ReturnSearchResults&queryId=1b0a5c22177737a31e2426478ea680d2&pId=1505230319

In 1846 Sarah Ann is baptised in Thornage, daughter of Charles and Maria Mears: https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/61636/images/48393_b407771-4143447_00157?treeid=&personid=&rc=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=Leb19408&_phstart=successSource&pId=2238125

And so Charles goes through life, his surname usually Row, Mears or even Mayes.

His mother Rebecca appears to have been the daughter of Mills Row, so I think Mills is simply a clerical error.

It looks as if Charles Mears senior and Stephen b 1823 emigrated to America, according to Ancestry trees. Did they go alone? (I only have UK Ancestry) Can anyone see what happened to Rebecca?

[Phoenix]

Ah, this is Rebecca in 1851:

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/8860/images/NFKHO107_1809_1810-0116?treeid=&personid=&rc=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=Leb19409&_phstart=successSource&pId=5081729

She's in Edgefield, calling herself a widow.

There was a Charles Meers buried in Edgefield in 1836, aged 50.

If that was "her" Charles, is the American tree a complete red herring?

[Phoenix]

And Rebecca in1841:
https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=GBC%2F1841%2F0776%2F0408&parentid=GBC%2F1841%2F0000213337

[Phoenix]

Okay, so Rebecca marries in 1823 and dies in 1852. Her later children do not appear to have been baptised - not sure whether that's curaes not paying attention or nonconformism.


But is Stephen going to America a mistake?

[kiterunner]

Charles Mills was bp 16 August 1818 in Edgefield, daughter of Rebecca Mills:


It says "illegitimate son", not daughter!

[Phoenix]

It says "illegitimate son", not daughter!

I'm getting old:o

[kiterunner]

On the 1851 census of Canada at Whitby, Ontario (thanks to a public tree on Ancestry):
Stephen Mayors, labourer, born England, age next birthday 29
Elizabeth Mayors, born England, age next birthday 26
Rebecca Mayors, born Upper Canada, age next birthday 7
Elizabeth Mayors, born Upper Canada, age next birthday 3.

The tree has Elizabeth sr's maiden name as Bayes, born 1826 Hunworth, Norfolk.

Then this is Stephen's death cert:
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/60872/images/44471_355306-01154?pId=2483240
DOB 20 Sep 1823, birthplace England, father Charles Mears, born England, name of mother unknown.

So it looks to be him, don't you think?

This is a link to the tree:
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/person/tree/37168682/person/19050087757/facts

[kiterunner]

This is the passenger list entry they have for Charles Mears but it could easily be someone else of the same name:
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/7488/images/NYM237_18-0534?pId=1022291153

6 Feb 1833 on the "Hannibal" to New York, Charles Mears, age 30, merchant, from Great Britain.

[Phoenix]

Brilliant! That tree makes sense, though I bet he emigrated in 1840, like most of the parish of Edgefield. That Charles is obviously someone quite different. Ag labs don't usually become merchants.

Thank you, Kite.

[Phoenix]

Oh, wow! Yesterday I put up a tree trying to sort out Charles' descendants and today I find a match with a common ancestor:)