James Newman b c 1775

[Phoenix]

James died in 1847 in Upper Clarence St Portsea and was buried in Mile End Cemetery Portsea 3 February 1847.

He married Rhoda Cousens in Alverstoke in 1808 and they had two known children: James b 1811 and Mary Ann b 1820, both in Portsea.

Here is James with his wife and two children in 1841: https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/8978/images/HAMHO107_413_414-0098?pId=2491981


This is his marriage in 1808: https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=S2%2FGBPRS%2FPORTSMOUTH%2F007907025%2F00 272&parentid=GBPRS%2FPORTSMOUTH%2FMAR%2F00011909%2F2


So in 1808 he is described as of the parish and is literate. There is a serial witness and his wife's sister present. In 1841, he is a labourer, born in Hampshire.


I am descended from James and Rhoda's daughter, born eleven years after her brother.



I have no idea exactly where James came from. He is my 3rd great grandfather. His son appears to have had no children.



Can anyone suggest a potential baptism for James?


And, if James had siblings, is there any chance of finding a DNA match? Matches to descendants of his grandchildren are only about 40 cM.

[ElizabethHerts]

How old was James when he died, Phoenix?

[kiterunner]

If James was your 3xg-grandfather, then descendants of his siblings will share 4xg-grandparents with you (assuming they are the same generation as you) so they will be your 5th cousins. You have a low chance of sharing DNA with any particular 5th cousin, but if you do share some, they should show up in the "5th to 8th cousin" section of your match list. If you have lots of 5th cousins on that line then hopefully some will share DNA with you.

[ElizabethHerts]

Did he leave a will?

Alt Ref No 1847A/70
Title Will of James Newman of Portsea, Hampshire, labourer
Date 1847
Description At Storehouse, HM D'yard

[kiterunner]

FamilySearch has the baptism of a James Newman 16 May 1773 at Portsea St Mary, son of William Newman. And another 6 Sep 1777 at Whitchurch, Hampshire, son of Anthony Newman. Others are 12 Jan 1772 Bishops Waltham, son of John and Sarah; 27 Dec 1779 Fareham, son of Edward; 21 Mar 1778 Bishops Waltham, son of James and Elizabeth.

Findmypast has some more - 1775 Nether Wallop, son of William and Sarah; 1775 Owslebury, son of Jacob; 1777 Upham, son of James and Sarah; 1778 Owslebury, son of Jacob and Mary; 1779 Durley, son of James.

[kiterunner]

After working on DNA matches for a couple of years, I should add that I would be wondering whether James was really Mary Ann's bio father with such a big gap between children, though. Unless there are some other children who haven't come up in searches.

[Phoenix]

James died aged 71 in January 1847. And yes, that will is his. There was, unfortunately, another James Newman of almost the same age who died at the same time in Portsmouth.

Thank you for the list, Kite. How I wish he had more children, to hint at his parents. I have wondered myself whether Mary Ann was his daughter - but of course there could have been numerous miscarriages.