Benjamin Nelson (1844 - 1911)

Born 22 Jul 1844 in Dudley, Staffordshire, England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Husband of Maria (Fell) Nelson — married 30 Nov 1863 (to 22 Nov 1911) in Dudley, Staffordshire, England, United Kingdom

Descendants

Died 22 Nov 1911 at age 67 in Osceola Mills, Centre, Pennsylvania, United States

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Biography

Benjamin was born in 1844.^[1] He passed away in 1911.^[2] Benjamin migrated to US in 1873.^[3]

Benjamin Nelson, son of James Nelson, a coal miner in Dudley Parish, Worcestershire, England, married Maria Fell, daughter of Andrew Fell, a laborer, and Mary Clements, at the Dudley Parish Church on November 30, 1863. Benjamin was born on July 22, 1844, presumably in Dudley, Worcestershire.^{[4] [5]} Before emigrating to the US in 1886, Benjamin and Maria set up housekeeping in West Bromwich, Staffordshire, England.^[6] Benjamin and Maria had nine children, of which at least three were still living in 1910; Annie (my grandmother), Henry, and Christiana. Annie was born on October 20, 1864, in Staffordshire, England; Christiana was born in Gold’s Green, England on November 9, 1870; Henry was born on December 3, 1872 in Staffordshire. The names of the rest of the children were:

• Elizzie, born 18 Nov 1862
• Mary, born 21 Apr 1866
• Mary (apparently the first Mary died as an infant), born 25 Jun 1867
• Daniel, born 30 Dec 1874
• Sarah, born 11 Feb 1877
• Robert, born 11 Sep 1882

Mother Eliza and sons Benjamin and Henry are found living in the household of John and Eliza Whitehouse in 1861, following the death of James Nelson.^[7] In 1871, mother Eliza (now Eliza Whitehouse) is residing the household of John Whitehouse with 6 year-old Elizzie Nelson (now shown as a granddaughter to John Whitehouse.^[8]

The 1881 census from West Bromwich shows The Benjamin Nelson family living at 36 Pudding Bag St. Children at home were Mary, Christiana, and Henry. Annie, my grandmother, who would have been age 17, apparently was living elsewhere on her own. She did not immigrate to the US until 1886. Daniel, Sarah, and Robert we assume must have died very young, since they do not appear on this census. Elizzie Nelson, age 6, is enumerated on the 1871 census, Wednesbury, Staffordhire, in the household of John Whitehouse (Whitehouse-1771), and no further information has been uncovered concerning Mary.^[9] Benjamin Nelson immigrated to the US in 1873. Maria and Annie followed in 1886, and Christiana came over in 1890. Henry and Maria became naturalized citizens in 1890^[10]

Census Records

• England and Wales Census, Wednesbury, Staffordshire, 1861, shows Benjamin Nelson, age 17, a coal miner, single, born in 1844 in Tipton, Staffordshire, a stepson in the household of John and Eliza Whitehouse Whitehouse-1582, living on Camp Street. This seems to indicate that Benjamin's biological father james, either by death or divorce, was no longer acting as Benjamin's father, and had been replaced by John Whitehouse, who is now Benjamin's step-father.
• US 1900 Census, South Precinct, Rush Twp., Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States, Benjamin Nelson, designated as father-in-law, is enumerated as living in the household of Levi Cowher, year of immigration 1886. Levi Cowher was the son of Christiana Nelson Cowher and Sylvester Cowher. Christiana was the daughter of Thomas Hartland and Susan Bell. Benjamin declared himself to be widowed.(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2DV2-L7V)

Time Line

• 1844 Birth Tipton, Staffordshire, England July 22 1844
• 1862 Age 18 Birth of daughter: Elizzie Nelson Staffordshire, England Nov 18 1862
• 1863 Age 19 Marriage to: Maria Nelson (born Fell) Saint Thomas, Dudley, Worcester, England Nov 30 1863
• 1864 Age 20 Birth of daughter: Anna Maria Hartland (born Nelson) Staffordshire, England, United Kingdom Oct 20 1864
• 1866 Age 21 Birth of daughter: Mary Nelson West Bromwich, Staffordshire Apr 21 1866
• 1870 Age 26 Birth of daughter: Christiana Cowher (born Nelson) Golds Green, England Nov 9 1870
• 1872 Age 28 Birth of son: Henry Thomas Nelson West Bromwich, Staffordshire Dec 3 1872
• 1874 Age 30 Birth of son: Daniel Nelson Dec 18 1874
• 1877 Age 32 Birth of daughter: Sarah Nelson Feb 11 1877
• 1881 Age 36-37 Census 36 Private House, Pudding Bag St, West Bromwich, Staffordshire, England1881
• 1882 Age 38 Death of son: Robert Nelson Sep 11 1882
• 1899 Age 55 Death of daughter: Elizzie Nelson Dec 20 1899
• 1910 Age 65-66 Residence Center, PA 1910
• Death Cause: Bronchitis Sandy Ridge, Centre, Pennsylvania, USA Nov 22 1911 burial Umbria cemetery, Osceola Falls, PA

Sources

1. ↑ Benjamin Nelson "England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008", Event Date: 1844, Event Place: Dudley, Staffordshire. England. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:26B7-349
2. ↑ "England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008" Benjamin Nelson, birth, 1844, Dudley, Staffordshire, England. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:26B7-349
3. ↑ 1900 US Census, South Precinct, Rush Twp., Centre County, Pennsylvania, referenced below.
4. ↑ "England Marriages 1538-1973" Benjamin Nelson marriage to Maria Fell, 30 Nov 1863 at St. Thomas, Dudley, Worchester, England. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2DV2-L7V)
5. ↑ Certified copy of an entry of marriage, no.614784, Dudley Parish, Worcestershire, marriage of bachelor Benjamin Nelson, son of James Nelson, a miner, deceased, to spinster Maria Fell, daughter of Andrew Fell, a laborer, on 30 Nov 1863. Witnesses Henry and Christian Baker, as well as the bride and groom, signed their names with the mark of X, suggesting that they were illiterate.
6. ↑ "England and Wales Census 1871" shows Benjamin Nelson, age 26, married, residence West Bromwich, Staffordshire, England, United Kingdom, a coal miner, with wife Maria, age 24, daughters Ann (Anna Maria), Mary, and Christiana.
7. ↑ "England and Wales Census", Wednesbury, Staffordshire, 1861, Whitehouse-1582,
8. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1871", St Bartholomew, Staffordshire, England,
9. ↑ "England and Wales Census 1881" , West Bromwich, Staffordshire, shows Benjamin Nelson, age 36, residence West Bromwich, Staffordshire, England, United Kingdom, with wife Maria, age 34, and daughters Mary, age 13, and Christiana, age 16, and son Henry, age 8, residing on Pudding Bag Street.
10. ↑ "Our Family History", written by Mel Green, published privately.

• Notes from research in the Lock Haven, Pa genealogy library

• Death certificate for son Henry T. Nelson, Ohio Dept of Health, Mahoning Co, No.81275, showing his father as Benjamin Nelson and mother as Maria Fell.

• familysearch.org profile KJZJ-1TN documents birth date of Benjamin as 22 Jul 1844 in Staffordshire, England.