Mary Shaw Bolton

 

My 4th great grandmother Mary Shaw was born sometime in 1825 in England. I don't have any birth records but I do have a baptism record that says she was baptized 3 July 1825 in Ripponden, a little village along the banks of the River Ryburn northwest of Huddersfield. Other records with her age listed also back figure to around 1825. I have quite a few records on her parents George and Betty Beaumont Shaw but not a lot on Mary. I suppose there is good reason for it and I shall attempt to explain. 

Mary was part of a large family of at least nine children whose father was a weaver according to the info from the 1841 England Census where they were living in a small village referred to as Scape Goat Hill five miles directly west of Huddersfield. When I first saw that name, I wasn't sure I was even correct in my interpretation of the handwriting. Who names something Scape Goat Hill? But a quick google search shows that it indeed was a place and nobody really knows how the name came about other than it was once called Slipcoat. 

Scape Goat Hill

Mary's parents would live out their entire lives at Scape Goat Hill and I suspect may be buried there somewhere but Mary's destiny would take her a lot further. Sometime after the 1841 England Census where Mary was listed as age 17, and before the summer of 1844, she would marry an English man by the name of John Bolton. I'm less certain of his ancestry as there are two John Bolton's in that particular part of England at that time. The most likely lived in a town called Skelmanthorpe just on the other side of Huddersfield and was the son of a carpenter by the same name.

However by 6 Jun 1844, neither were near Huddersfield as both were on a boat called the Joseph Cunard pulling into New York City harbor after a leaving from Liverpool, England. By 1850, their home was in Willow Springs, Wisconsin, I think, because it really depends on the definition of home I guess. Let me explain.

Mary and daughters Salina aged 4 and Frances aged 1, were living with the Pilling family who has immigrated to the United States from England way back in the 1820's. Where was husband John? I don't know for certain but I have enough evidence to make a very good guess. From reading histories of Willow Springs, many of their residents left together and headed for the gold fields of California during the Gold Rush of 49. For many years, my story ended there because Mary and her two girls simply disappeared without a trace until her daughter Frances, my 3rd great grandmother got married. Eventually I figured out the rest of the story.

After focusing so much of my efforts on searching California and Wisconsin, I cast a broader net and finally found Mary and her two daughters Selina and Frances living back in 1861 England again this time in Kirkburton, a town on the southeast side of Huddersfield, halfway between it and the suspected hometown of her husband John. However, she is listed as a widow and now shows to have a son by the name of Jeremiah who you might have guessed, was born in the exotic location of California. Mary and children were living with her younger brother George Shaw who according to the census was a "hand loom fancy weaver" and both Mary and oldest daughter Selina were also doing the same trade. Mary's two daughters were listed as being born in America so I find it somewhat odd that Jeremiah is listed specifically as California even though it had been a state for ten years by that point. Perhaps the census taker in England wasn't aware of that fact.

That census is the last trace I have of Mary. She was only 35 at the time of the 1861 England Census so could have vary well remarried and listed a long life. Most people have her as dying in 1888 and indeed, someone of the same name did die in North Riding Yorkshire and at this time, I have requested a copy of her death certificate. But since Mary, her parents, and later her children never spent time in North Riding, I'm a bit suspect. I have tried searching her out but I'm a bit behind in knowing how to seek out people in England and their census system. Also, with her first name being Mary and her surname could be Bolton, Shaw or anything else, it is hard to ascertain which one is the right one without some further collaboration usually through the paperwork of her children.

Oldest daughter Selina would marry Henry Hirst, have four kids and die at the age of 66. If you know a Hirst line in that area of the world, I could very well be related to them. Young Jeremiah would remain ever young. He took up an apprenticeship with a Weaver but died at the age of 20 of causes unknown to me. Middle daughter Frances would sail back to America on her own and marry a former sweetheart, fresh out of fighting in the Civil War and string together an extensive family that carries all the way down to me. Her story is also equally interesting having been born in America, experienced the California gold rush of 49, immigrated to England, and then sailed back to America all by the age of 15. That, however, is a story I'll leave for another day.

Cemetery on the west side of Scape Goal Hill and where my 5th great grandparents George & Betty Shaw probably reside today.