Could Someone help finding info about my ancestor?

Question

Hi Everyone, I'm struggling finding much info about my Ancestor James Bains (Bains-137) His first born moved to USA and his Naturalisation form said his Dad was born 1838 in Lerwick, Scotland but I've not had luck finding a birth cert. His Wedding Certificate(@south Shields) also said he was born 1838 and he was Mariner(Seaman) so he was always missing at Census time. Wedding cert also said his father was John Bains. I found his Obituary saying he was lost at Sea on the Elsie but I cant find his death certificate on the register. Please help, you are my only hope :)

Comments

James Bains

 in the 1841 England Census

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Name:	James Bains
Age:	3
Estimated Birth Year:	abt 1838
Gender:	Male
Where born:	Northumberland, England
Civil Parish:	St John
Hundred:	Tindale (East Division)
County/Island:	Northumberland
Country:	England
Street Address: Occupation:	View image
Registration District:	Newcastle upon Tyne
Sub-registration District:	St Nicholas
Neighbors:

Piece:	848
Book:	6
Folio:	15
Page Number:	22
Household Members:	Name Age Thomas Bains 40 Mary Bains 30 Mary Bains 10 Ann Bains 10 Bridget Bains 5 James Bains 3 John Bains 2 Miel Macdoneaft 25 John Macdoneaft 25 Patrick Dolen 25

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Only problem with that one is the marriage cert said father was john not Thomas

Answer 1

Family search shows his father is also James Bains but there is no source. I have added the link to his profile.

I wonder if you could trace him back using one of his grandchildren.

Comments

Sorry Chris I'm not sure what you mean? I have a lot of certs for his kids and at least one of his Grand kids James Bains (my Great Grandfather). In regards to his kids it just says his name with nothing else. Grand kids dont mention him at all

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I update some of Bains-107 children. I was just trying to find

living Bains who might know something. But I see by tracing his decendants, it was not so easy.

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yes I have tried that. I've found decendants of his first born James born 1865 but they don't have anything on this james. Everyone is running off the Census info but he's not in any of the normal ones :(

I have the most info so far as I've ordered all the certs I could find. But the main one I need his death certificate I cant find. I presume because he died at sea.

Answer 2

I did update Bains-108 found him on findagrave. I also put in to update him on findagrave.

Comments

nice find thanks

Answer 3

It might not make much difference but the date he died of 9 June 1880 is actually the date the Death notice (not Obituary notice) was published in page 3 of the Shields Daily Gazette and Shipping Telegraph.

The steamer Elsie appears to have been lost on 27 February 1880 (or perhaps that is the date it was known to be missing?) from this website.

The Shields Daily Gazette of 29 April 1880, on p. 4 has a short article titled 'The Loss of the Elsie', which states that ".. getting together a good sum of money, by subscription for the widows and orphans of the crew. The captain's widow and five children have been specially provided for."

It does seem likely that there was a wait until they were officially declared deceased/lost.

Comments

Yes you were right. the Deaths at sea book I found today listed his death as 2nd March 1880

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But I find it wierd that I cant find the death certificate. surely they would still do one if they are lost at sea

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I found something which might be the same Deaths at sea book you mention?

Along the top it has "Return of Deaths at Sea, reported to the Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen under the provisions of the "Merchant Shipping Act, 1854" and "Births and Deaths Registration Act, 1874," during the month of March 1880."

I would interpret that the form is in place of a death certificate?

It has actually states "missing since 2.3.80" under Date of Death, and his name was originally written as James Barnes, but with 'r' crossed out and 'i' written above.

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Yeh that pretty much what I found today.